


falling in love, and other sins

by chasingjupiter



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angel!Jihoon, Clubbing, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Romance, Strangers to Lovers, demon!soonyoung
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2020-10-06 12:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20507324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chasingjupiter/pseuds/chasingjupiter
Summary: Lee Jihoon is an angel. A good one, at that. He's a good student, good researcher, which is why he's in the mortal world for the foreseeable future.He's not good at falling in love.(Or, Jihoon and Soonyoung fall in love, and it's simple. Except Jihoon's an angel, and Soonyoung's a demon, and it's no longer simple.)





	1. bagel of chaos

Jihoon shakes out his wings before calmly hopping off the edge of a cloud.

Flight, as it does with other angels, comes naturally to Jihoon. While he carves through the air headfirst, he unfurls the tips of his wings and gradually slows his descent, gliding over a city with a small smile settled on his lips. Breaking through the seal between the mortal world and the heavens is something all angels experience as early as a hundred years old, but it never loses its novelty. Even now, after roughly another century, Jihoon feels his skin thrum as it accelerates and smashes into the mortal atmosphere. Or maybe the thrum was from the pressure. 

Regardless, Jihoon cracks a grin as he’s soaring over human civilization. Flying at night is his favorite; seeing all the twinkling artificial lights, mere imitations of what they have at home, brings a gentle joy to the frequent trips. It’s kind of peaceful - contrary to the whistling wind in his ears during the seal-breaking - and it makes him appreciate the tiny humans.

Speaking of the tiny humans, Jihoon’s starting to spot some flocking around monuments. He urges himself forward, picks out an isolated area to land in, and begins the final descent. A few leaves find their way into Jihoon’s hair once his feet make contact with cobblestone, and he shakes them out, combing through his bangs with his fingers to return them to their normal state.

Based on the iconic mustard yellow taxis, gargantuan skyscrapers, and rough barks of pissed humans, Jihoon deduces he’s in New York City, again.

That’s okay. It’s not his favorite place to be in, but it does have its perks. Like those amusing museums with funny phallic-shaped chairs and angry-looking busts. He does get a kick out of those.

But he’s not here to see those today. No, today is not one of Jihoon’s leisure trips on a whim, today is for an assignment. His professor had finally given in to his class’s complaints and allowed them to do a research mission. The subject? Human emotions.

Jihoon has no idea what he’s looking for. He’d learned the textbook by heart in preparation, but he couldn’t return and just spout facts. As one of the students pioneering this trip, he’s determined to find a project worth presenting. Something that would captivate the student body and launch him into researcher status. To, of course, continue researching the mortal world.

He dusts himself off one last time, tucks his wings away, and hops out of the restricted area he’d landed in, joining a mass of New Yorkers swarming the pavement with only a little shoving. Damn his stature.

He wanders the streets for an hour, taking note of a few particularly annoyed pedestrians and scribbling notes down in a tiny notepad. Finally, as the night deepens, Jihoon ducks into an alley to collect himself. It’s a relief to escape the herd, but he dimly recalls the professor warning him of creepy people in alleys and sighs before inching his way out. It’s getting quite dark out, and while he prides himself on his sense of adventure, he’s really not feeling up to being assaulted on the first day of a long-term research project.

The first drops of rain make themselves known to Jihoon by splattering on his forehead, and he winces in response. The rain is nice when he’s watching it through a window, but feeling gross mortal rain on his skin leaves a grimy discomfort in Jihoon. Deciding to evade the rain as soon as possible, he follows a random person into a building. The immediate impression Jihoon gets is drug den, but on second inspection, relying on his trusty memorized textbook, he determines it’s a normal club. 

Bass thumps through the establishment’s floors, leaving Jihoon disoriented. He’s never been in a club before, has only heard of them. The diagram in the textbook had pointed out a stage of sorts, a DJ, and a glowing dance floor. Otherwise, Jihoon realizes he doesn’t really know  _ anything  _ about clubs.

“Excuse me,” he murmurs, pushing through the crowd. His better instincts advise against exploring the club, but Jihoon, again, has always prided himself on his adventurous personality. And he was researching human emotion, right? What better place than a stuffy club positively reeking of emotion?

And besides, he’s curious, he’s already here, and going back out would mean getting wet again. So all the signs point to delving deeper into New York City’s nightlife.

He finds himself huddled in the corner of the club, halfheartedly swaying to what they call music and clutching a glass that contains a mysterious orange liquid. He’s clumped with a few other shy attendees but the others gradually leave the roost in favor of the eye of the storm. He’s a little terrified, so Jihoon stays in the corner.

And then a stranger approaches him, taps his arm to get his attention.

“Are you lost?”

He gestures that he can’t hear him. The stranger leans close and presses the words to his ear.

“No,” he half-shouts. “Just new.”

“Want me to show you the ropes?”

He considers it for maybe one full second and nods. He’s here to learn, he’s sick of being trodden on. The stranger - from the fleeting interaction, he appeared to be handsome and equipped with a charming smile. Someone who probably frequented the club.

The stranger drags him over to a miraculously slightly quieter area where there is actually free air. Jihoon can make out his face better now; his initial impression had been correct. 

“Are you from around here?” the man asks.

Jihoon shakes his head. 

“Been in a club before?”

Jihoon shakes his head.

“Got any other tricks?”

The stranger’s passive smile breaks into a genuine grin. Jihoon is having a hard time making sense of him. He’s oddly fascinating: it might just be how there’s eyeliner smudged at the corners of his eyes or how his smile is tinted with something thrilling, and sexy. He balks at the thought. Sexy?

“It’s my first time,” he finally says. “In a club, I mean.”

The stranger looks at him carefully. “You’re of age?”

Jihoon thinks about his two hundred plus years. “Yeah,” Jihoon confirms. “...Are you?”

He laughs again. It’s a nice sounding laugh, Jihoon thinks.

“For sure,” he says. The way he talks, it’s loud enough to be heard clearly over the noise, but quiet enough to feel intimate. Jihoon finds that he quite likes it. “Just don’t wanna get in any legal shmuck.”

“Believe me, I’m old enough,” Jihoon assures him, voice somewhat dry.

“Okay, okay, I’ll trust you on this,” the man chuckles. “Could I get a name?”

Jihoon hesitates, but offers him his name anyway. “It’s Jihoon.”

“Jihoon?” He sounds out his name and feels it out with his nice voice. “Tell me if I ever get it wrong. I’m Soonyoung, by the way.”

“Okay, Soonyoung,” Jihoon says. It feels weird, the exchange of names. Like they’re trading one precious item for another. Except Jihoon hasn’t lost anything, has just gained something new. And it feels  _ good.  _ It feels good to taste Soonyoung’s name under his tongue. Again. It’s weird.

Soonyoung shoots him a thumbs up and starts pointing out features of the club. Jihoon fishes out his notepad and diligently takes notes on what he says.

“The DJ sucks today,” he’s saying, arm high over Jihoon’s head. “I swear, it’s like he’s trying to split my head apart. Ooh, I like those purple strobe lights. Don’t you? They’re like electric slaps in the face, but I dig it.”

Jihoon nods and continues scratching at the paper. Soonyoung talks fast, so it’s hard to copy down what he’s saying. Nonetheless, he manages to form coherent bullet points on Soonyoung’s observations.

“Oh, the bathrooms are over there… Don’t go in the third stall, it’s always blocked with some shit. Literally. Holy fuck, see those guys sucking face over there? I know them. That’s fucking crazy. I’m both grossed out and ecstatic right now.”

Jihoon looks up. Where Soonyoung’s vaguely pointing, there’s a couple entwined around each other, mouths connected. He can kind of make out their hands roaming and wonders absently if they mean to take it all the way on the dance floor.

“They look like they’re enjoying themselves,” Jihoon says observantly.

Soonyoung snorts. It gives Jihoon a little satisfaction. “Oh, hell yeah,” he agrees, eyes narrowing. “I really don’t know how to feel right now. On one hand, it’s great to see them together finally, but on the other hand I just know I’m gonna have to see them making out everyday now.”

“You’re happy for them?”

“Yeah, for sure. They’re both dumbasses so it’s nice when they finally get their shit together.” Soonyoung tosses his head back, laughs in the air. His bangs fly back as he does so, and Jihoon can swear he’s moving in slow motion. He can practically see beads of sweat fly off of the tips of his hair, admires the way his cheekbones glitter in the dim club lighting. He’s pretty, Jihoon notes, and he writes that down.

“Oh, hey, are you taking notes?” Soonyoung finally notices, chokes out a surprised laugh. He tries to crane over Jihoon’s shoulder to read it but fails, acquiescing with a huff. “Nevermind. I just think it’s kind of funny.”

“Why?”

Bemused, Soonyoung replies, “Because I’ve never seen anyone taking notes in a club before.”

“Well, I’ve never been in a club before, so I’m going to learn,” Jihoon explains, flipping the page with a flick of his wrist. 

“Right,” Soonyoung says. There’s a weird look in his eyes. Everything about this is weird. He can’t pinpoint it, but it’s almost as if Soonyoung’s just as compelled by Jihoon as he is by Soonyoung. But that couldn’t be. “You’re kinda funky, Jihoon. I like you.”

“You do?”

“Yeah, I do.”

Jihoon fans himself with his notebook. “Thanks, I guess.” It’s hot in here.

“Hey, you got any plans tonight?” Soonyoung’s gaze is heavy, and it pins Jihoon in place. 

It makes him hesitate before he responds. “Not really.”

Soonyoung breathes in, breathes out. “Wanna catch a bagel with me? I’m really craving bagels.”

Jihoon’s replying before he even registers it. “Sure,” he says, shrugging.

“Oh, seriously? I’ll lead the way, then.” Lighting up, Soonyoung reaches for Jihoon’s shoulders and lightly steers him to the exit. Soonyoung parts the crowd with a few passive-aggressive “excuse me”s and before he knows it they’re already standing on the pavement, free from the DJ’s awful music taste. The rain has mostly stopped, save for the occasional tardy raindrop.

Soonyoung releases his shoulders and with it Jihoon lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “It’s only a block from here,” Soonyoung says as he sets off with Jihoon trailing behind him. He narrates as they walk, pointing out a café he claims to frequent. 

They approach a tiny shop with a neon sign reading ‘24/7 Bagels’ and, as an afterthought, ‘Open.’ Jihoon surveys the green and white overhang with thinly concealed apathy. It’s very different from what they have in the angel realm, as expected, but he doesn’t really have an immediate reaction to it, either. He supposes he’ll just have to try the bagels.

Soonyoung pulls open the door and ushers Jihoon in, greeting the employee behind the counter brightly. He’s quite obviously just on their phone, but has the decency to set down his phone and stand up and smile.

“Yo, Soonyoung,” the guy says. “What’s up?”

Soonyoung looks back at Jihoon, offers him a tentative smile. “Met Jihoon here at the club,” he explains quickly. “We just wanted to get out of there.”

“So you’re not hooking up,” he adds warily, to clarify. “Last time was not fun for me. Your flirting sucks.” He looks over at Jihoon and eases his gaze. “If he flirts with you, you can tell him to stop.”

“I, uh- that’s, that’s okay.” Flustered, Jihoon lowers his eyes and focuses on the bagel menu. There appears to only be four varieties.

The thing is, Jihoon feels like he really wouldn’t mind if Soonyoung flirted with him. He might even attempt to flirt back. Soonyoung, he’s weird, he’s loud, he’s definitely not Jihoon’s type, but… there’s something that makes Jihoon feel comfortable with him. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s pretty easy on the eyes.

“My flirting does not suck,” Soonyoung protests. “What would you know, Chan? You’ve only dated one person.” 

“And I’m still dating him,” Chan counters. “You, my friend, have commitment issues.”

“I do not.”

Jihoon folds his hands. He’s decided on a plain bagel with no additions, because it’s late at night and he doesn’t want a mouthful of chaotic tastes. As an angel, his senses are enhanced somewhat, so spices and unknown ingredients tend to mess with him. And he’d very much like to stay coherent this evening.

“Soonyoung, shut up, aren’t you here for bagels?”

Soonyoung promptly flushes and turns to Jihoon. “Sorry, I got carried away,” he says, looking apologetic. “Do you know what you want?”

Jihoon nods. “Just a plain bagel,” he says, half to Soonyoung and half to Chan. 

“Boring,” Soonyoung pouts, asking Chan to add an everything bagel for himself. It makes sense that Soonyoung would get the most chaotic bagel on the menu, Jihoon thinks. Soonyoung adds cream cheese and briefly considers the other options before shaking his head and leaving it at that, thankfully. 

Chan busies himself behind the counter, leaving Soonyoung and Jihoon standing in the middle of the room, not exactly looking at each other.

“So,” Soonyoung begins. He sidles over to a table by the wall and slips into a seat, hands coming to rest on the table. His fingers tap lightly. “What brings you to this part of the city? You said you weren’t from here, right?”

Jihoon follows suit and sits across from him. “Yeah,” he affirms. “I was just interested in experiencing it for once, I guess.”

Soonyoung nods, head bobbing emphatically. “I get that,” he claims. “I hope it’s to your liking?”

“I think so,” he replies. He looks over at Chan, who’s unsubtly eavesdropping and stalling as he slowly lathers cream cheese on Soonyoung’s bagel. When Soonyoung looks like he’s still waiting for elaboration, he adds, “There’s nothing to really dislike, I suppose. Just a lot to take in.”

“Yeah, definitely,” Soonyoung says. He appears engrossed in every word Jihoon utters. It’s a little disarming, but Jihoon finds that he doesn’t mind it. He might even appear that way himself. 

Jihoon is saved from the inevitable following silence when Chan waves them over to collect the bagels. He tells them to have a nice day and winks at Soonyoung as they turn to leave. Jihoon just ignores the wink.

“It’s getting kind of late,” Jihoon remarks as they exit, peering up at the sky thoughtfully. “Maybe even early, if it’s past midnight already.”

Soonyoung makes a noise of agreement (Jihoon assumes) as he takes a huge bite out of his bagel. He follows Jihoon’s eyes and watches the sky churn. He swallows, looks back at Jihoon. “Want me to walk you home?”

“That would be nice,” Jihoon admits, taking a hesitant bite out of his own bagel.

“Thanks for walking me,” he says as they’re left standing outside of a random hotel Jihoon led them to. It looks like a decent one, so he might as well try to get a room for the night since he’s feeling tired. 

Soonyoung beams. “Thanks for keeping me company!” He looks worlds away from Club Soonyoung, who had been alluring and mysterious, wreathed in an smoky aura. Now, he’s just a regular young adult, cheeks bunched up happily, hair ruffled and eyeliner nearly smudged to nonexistence.

While he likes Club Soonyoung, Jihoon thinks he likes this Soonyoung more. He’s cute, kind of. The tip of his nose is pink, his coat bundled up in his arms. This Soonyoung is harmless, unlike Club Soonyoung. Club Soonyoung might just go around looking like he wants to kiss strangers on the mouth and do some cunning flattery to get what he wants. Club Soonyoung might just steal away hearts.

Looking up at Soonyoung, Jihoon feels his cheeks warm. The night is dark around their shoulders, but streetlights illuminate the bubble they’re in. It casts an angelic light on Soonyoung’s tousled nest of hair, leaving Jihoon wondering when they switched species. 

“Will I see you again?” Soonyoung asks suddenly, hopefully. “I’d like to, you know. If you want to, too.”

“Is this what Chan meant by bad flirting?” he shoots back, teasing.

He laughs nervously in response. “Well…”

“I do,” Jihoon interrupts. “I’d like to see you again, too.”

“Oh.” Soonyoung colors immediately, burrows into the coat he’s clutching. His hand darts into his pants pocket, searching for his phone, which he then offers to Jihoon. “Could I have your phone number?”

Jihoon pauses, stammers, “Oh, I… I don’t have a working number right now.” Soonyoung visibly deflates and attempts to deflect it by probably making a joke, but Jihoon waves it away. “I’ll get one! As soon as I can. Is an email okay for now?”

“Yes!” Soonyoung answers brightly, inflating again. He scrabbles at his phone to open the notes app. “Can you just type it here?”

He complies and returns the phone to Soonyoung, noting the web of cracks on the screen. “Email me,” he reminds him, reluctantly stepping back.

“I will,” Soonyoung assures him. “Really. I’d like to… um, get to know you.”

“Smooth,” Jihoon laughs. He waves at Soonyoung and retreats to the hotel front steps, waiting until Soonyoung waves back to stop. Soonyoung smiles at him and waits as Jihoon makes his way into the lobby.

He only turns around when he’s sure Soonyoung’s left, but Soonyoung is still standing there, staring down at his phone with a dreamy smile. It makes his insides flutter, and he shakes his head fondly, walking over to the front desk to ask about a room.

When he’s successfully secured a room, Jihoon sprawls out on the bed, thinking about Soonyoung’s dumb smile and sparkling eyes. Though he’s got to make a quick flight in the morning to retrieve his laptop from his apartment in the heavens, he’s really, really looking forward to it.

He falls asleep on top of the covers, reflecting on his eventful first day of research.


	2. the office cult

Humming to himself, Soonyoung retraces his route back to the club, mind on another dimension.

The anticipation in his stomach is different from his former romantic pursuits. This time, it’s lighter. More innocent, in a way. Like for once this one might have some genuine weight to it.

He shakes his head. Not the time.

Pushing his way into the club, he weaves his way straight to the bathrooms, ignoring a couple half-naked on the wall and going straight for the third stall. It’s locked, as it should be, so he jiggles the door a little and it frees itself. He locks the door again and steps on the toilet seat smoothly, jabbing at the wall tile with his index finger. After six taps, it gives way to a compartment sealed with a lock. Soonyoung waves his hand over it and it unlocks itself, revealing a glittering purple stone. He reaches out and touches it.

With the first cell of his skin contacting the stone, his body evaporates and the world around him melts into a blur. Winds shriek past his head - or what should be his head - as Soonyoung waits to reach his destination.

Finally, his cells condense and reassemble into their proper form. Slightly disoriented, he shakes out his limbs and scans his surroundings for immediate danger, in case the travel fucked up somehow.

Fortunately Soonyoung’s expertise has paid off once again and he’s safely commuted back to Hell. Fortunately.

“You’re late,” Soonyoung’s roommate says as soon as he unlocks the door.

Junhui is slumped on the couch, limbs contorted in an odd position. Soonyoung doesn’t bother asking. Who knows what he’s doing?

“I am aware,” he replies, shutting the door behind him and tossing his coat on the floor. It joins a pile of coats he and Junhui share. Sifting through the pile before leaving is much easier than hanging them up individually and taking them out. “And I will not apologize.”

“Didn’t expect you to,” Junhui mutters. “I just thought maybe…” He trails off.

Soonyoung, lunging for the couch and curling up on Junhui’s knees, interrupts, “You were waiting up for me when I didn’t come home? How sweet.”

Junhui scoffs but doesn’t correct him. Junhui’s like that: he cares deeply about Soonyoung - it goes both ways! - but doesn’t like to show it because the demon world has grated on him. His nurturing nature doesn’t bode well in the pits of hell, so it makes sense that he’s grown more jaded over time.

“You broke the curfew,” he says, but Soonyoung can tell he’s not worried about the curfew.

Instead of calling him out on it, he retorts, “What am I, five?” 

Junhui keeps up the playful banter, shooting back, “You sure act like it.”

A moment passes with the two of them glaring at each other. Then they simultaneously collapse and burst into laughter, reaching for each other. Soonyoung and Junhui have a comfortable friendship that’s been like this since Soonyoung can remember. They’re both easily excitable and yet also both crash quickly, so living together is nothing short of chaotic.

Or so their friends tell them. Soonyoung and Junhui, they don’t see a single problem with their living arrangement.

“C’mere,” Junhui says, and Soonyoung crawls into his lap. They’re on the verge of slipping off the couch, but they manage to just fit. Despite the imminent danger, the two curl into each other and Soonyoung tucks his chin over Junhui’s shoulder. Their arms come to wrap around each other’s torsos, squeezing them nicely into a hug. It feels, as always, like home.

“Hey, Junnie,” Soonyoung mumbles sleepily into his bony shoulder. He waits for Junhui to grunt before continuing, “I met a cute mortal today at Entropy.”

“That so?” Junhui’s voice is just as muddled. It’s a testament to their enduring friendship that they can comprehend each other.

“Yeah,” Soonyoung says. “I was trying to flirt with him but he’s kind of oblivious. It just made him cuter, though.”

Junhui hums in acknowledgement. Then he speaks up, “What’s he like? Other than cute, I mean.”

Soonyoung lets out a long breath. “Cute.” Laughing at his own response, he yelps when Junhui lightly elbows him and curbs his laughter into small hiccupy giggles. “No, seriously, he’s really cute. He was taking notes in the club. So maybe a diligent student. And he kind of had this expressionless look on his face but I could sense he was interested.”

“Good thing it was in Entropy, then,” Junhui says. “Your sensing sucks when it’s out of the hotspots.”

“Shut up,” he replies briskly. “Anyway, enough about that. I’m dead tired, wanna head to bed?”

“Sure,” Junhui agrees, and together they give up on washing up and just slip into their respective bedrooms.

-

Work the next morning is kind of, well, hell.

To the despair of many demons (including Soonyoung), work has dulled. What once was field work and stirring up trouble in the mortal world is now all paperwork. Demons aren’t meant to be sat at desks and given cubicles. It simply goes against their nature.

The one thing that keeps the demons-turned-office-workers sane is mischief. Occasionally (everyday) a demon loses their concentration and resorts to playing harmless pranks or setting up interesting drama. The frequent but increasingly creative jokes act as a stress reliever for even those who don’t partake in the roguery. While Soonyoung isn’t often a part of it, he takes pride in his fellow cohort in somehow maintaining order through chaos.

He’s sure today, too, will have some sort of mischief occur, which is the only reason why he isn’t dreading the next eight hours with all of his being. Only some of it.

He drags his feet like the rest of the trudging horde of demons as they clock into work, the process systematic and welcoming them to Hell’s special place of doom. The monotonous beginnings of work mornings grate on Soonyoung; he slumps at his desk and glances up at the ceiling warily. The lights are a dim red, the result of a prank that made the demons realize they preferred it this way. 

Today the demons don’t even make it to lunch before someone cracks and stirs up some petty drama. He’s not sure what it is exactly; it seems to just be a false rumor that’s caught on quickly. Soonyoung gets wind of it thirty minutes to his break. Junhui informs him that he heard from his cubicle neighbor who overheard from a bathroom rendezvous that the rumor involves a demon named Minghao befriending an angel. It suddenly makes sense that the office has been in murmured uproar. The poor demon.

When he saves his spreadsheet with a sigh of relief, fishing out his cling-wrapped sandwich, Soonyoung opens up his email. Jihoon’s been on his mind all day, his name slipping in his spreadsheet every half hour. His heart beats rapidly as he composes a new email.

**New Message**

To  [ leejh96@gmail.com ](mailto:leejh96@gmail.com)

Subject: hot stranger u met last night

hey jihoon its me soonyoung

i hope this email gets to you safely (unless u were trying to reject me politely in which case.. im sorry?!)

out of curiosity without any motives whatsoever are u planning on returning to entropy (the club from last night idk if u ever caught the name since its not like,, advertised) ahaha please lmk :)

ps i cant figure out to get rid of the automatic work signature thing bc my friend set it up for me haha sorry !!

Best,

Soonyoung Kwon

Department of Finances

(xxx)xxx-xxxx Ext., xxx

Purgatory Inc.

He takes a bite out of his sandwich and presses ‘send’ before he has time to doubt himself. Making a face at the taste, Soonyoung spins in his chair as he chews, stretching out his arms and squeezing his eyes shut. It makes for an odd picture but one familiar to his cubicle neighbors, so no one pays attention. 

Because he’s hungry, he crams the somewhat soggy sandwich into his mouth and swallows, trying to ignore the strange flavor. He must have accidentally switched sandwiches with Junhui on the way to work, because his tongue is curling with a mysterious concoction, and only Junhui would do this to himself.

About to send an angry text to his idiosyncratic roommate, he pauses when he receives a few messages first. They usher him to the break room for unidentified reasons.

Shrugging, Soonyoung stands up and tosses the cling wrap in the bin on his way to the break room. He’s curious. And rightfully so, because once he enters the room all of his three department friends are sat in a circle, discussing what appears to be a very serious matter.

“Oh, Soonyoung’s here.”

They scoot over and make room for him in the cult-like circle. When he’s settled, sitting criss-cross-applesauce like the others, they resume the discourse.

“Minghao wouldn’t,” Yuhwan’s saying fervently, evidently heavily invested in the gossip. “He just said last week that he would never associate with an angel.” 

“He’s not like that, though,” Seungkwan counters. “He’s always saying stuff about how emotions transcend species or whatever. I honestly think it’s more likely he’s friends with an angel than not.”

Soonyoung follows the light debate with thinly veiled disinterest. He figures this stuff, all this forbidden relationship stuff, doesn’t and probably will never apply to him, considering he’s never even met an angel. What Minghao does isn’t Soonyoung’s business, no matter how intriguing it is.

“What do you think, Soonyoung?” Seungkwan prompts.

He hesitates before answering honestly. “Whether he has or hasn’t befriended an angel doesn’t concern me.”

Seungkwan rolls his eyes good-naturedly. “C’mon, you’re making us look bad,” he jokes. 

Soonyoung looks over at Junhui, who’s been surprisingly quiet during the exchange. His mild unease evaporates when he sees his best friend peering at his sandwich, a frown in place.

“This tastes like nothing,” Junhui says, looking up to meet Soonyoung’s amused gaze. “Do you have chili sauce on you?” 

-

Jihoon meets up with Jisoo while he’s in the city.

Hong Jisoo was a close friend of his while he was still located in the heavens, but the distance between the mortal world and the angel realm has driven the two apart over time. It is, however, always nice to catch up with his old friend whenever they’re in the same place.

They’ve made plans to convene at a Korean barbecue place. Jihoon, because he is clueless with technology, does a few cursory Google searches and wanders to Koreatown while trying not to look too lost. He makes it there eventually, and his watch says he’s ten minutes early, actually. Thank God for leaving extra early.

His stomach grumbles as he’s looking at the sign advertising Korean barbecue and he sighs, deciding to go in despite his earliness. The call of smoked meat and spice is far too strong for someone as hungry as Jihoon.

“Jihoon!”

He starts, then relaxes when he sees Jisoo waving to him.

“You’re early,” he points out, patting Jihoon’s shoulder lightly and smiling.

“And so are you,” Jihoon replies.

They enter the restaurant and Jihoon is eternally grateful that Jisoo called ahead and made a reservation. He’s not sure he can wait with the strong aroma teasing him.

The built-in grill sizzles to life as the waitress rapidly flicks switches on the side of the table. As always, Jihoon watches the process with wide eyes, wondering why Korean barbecue doesn’t exist in heaven. For a supposed resort of bliss, it’s really lacking in cuisine.

“How’ve you been?” Jisoo suddenly says, taking Jihoon’s attention away from the side dishes.

He picks up a pickled radish with his mediocre chopstick skills and answers, “Good, I think. It’s nice to be back in the city. I forgot how good the food can be.”

Jisoo hums in acknowledgement. “I really like this place,” he shares. “Seungcheol and I used to come here all the time.”

“Used to?” Jihoon forces his longing gaze away from the meat. “What happened?”

Jisoo lights up with a brilliant smile, and Jihoon relaxes in his seat. “We’re super busy, now,” he’s saying, and Jihoon wonders why he’s so happy about that until Jisoo explains, “Because we’re engaged!”

And he raises his left hand to flash a thin silver band with tiny inset gems that dance in the restaurant’s low lights. Jisoo is positively radiating joy - his eyes rival the ring, even. Jihoon gasps for the sake of it and cheers.

“Congratulations,” he says, voice warm. “Wow, I can’t believe I didn’t notice it earlier. The ring is beautiful. When did it happen?”

Jisoo leans in to tell him the story. He is, Jihoon thinks, quite different from the last time he saw him. It must’ve been over three years ago. At the time, Jisoo had been beleaguered by his fellow angels, who were indignant upon discovering his relationship. Jihoon recalls a time of hushed disbelief, and hidden gossip, and he internally bristles.

“And then before I knew it, he was kneeling down and rambling about how he was sorry for making such a mess and I was trying tell him to stop apologizing and- he just proposed! He was like, ‘in spite of it all I love you,’ and I was like, ‘in spite of your stupid self-deprecation I love you too.’ We both cried, then.”

Jihoon nods and wills himself to enjoy Jisoo’s elated tale. He’s happy for them - over the moon happy, really! - but he’s wary, almost apprehensive. If the angels had been stirred into a fuss over news of them tentatively dating, he couldn’t imagine marriage would be any better.

Jisoo reads him easily, as usual, and reassures him. “Don’t worry too much, Jihoon. We both know what we’re getting into. And we’re glad to. Someone’s got to show them the world is more than these dumb species.”

“Okay,” Jihoon says, and drops the subject. He trusts Jisoo (and Seungcheol, by extension) to make good decisions, and despite his demure appearance, Jisoo can be exceedingly stubborn when it comes to these things. So he drops it. 

An angel and a mortal, engaged. Jihoon wonders if anything good can come of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> more of a filler chap to give some insight on jihoon and soonyoung individually ??  
also yuhwan is just a random guy,, he doesn't come up again dw he just exists for fifteen seconds or so
> 
> thanks for reading!! the next chapter should be up in a few days as well, and i promise it's more exciting :) see you then <3


	3. re: hot stranger u met last night

**New Message**

To kwonsoon960615@purgatory.com

Subject: Re: hot stranger u met last night

Hi Soonyoung,

Before I get into the email, “out of curiosity without any motives whatsoever” is your keyboard functioning? Or do you not know how to punctuate and capitalize correctly? Or is it a stylistic choice (one I frown upon, and one I am afraid is most likely out of the former options)?

I would be delighted to meet with you at Entropy. Since I have a lot of free time for now, just let me know when you’ll be around. I might loiter around the area anyway.

Looking forward to seeing you soon.

Jihoon

-

The email lingers in his mind as Jihoon surveys himself in the hotel mirror. From his research, he’s assembled a club-appropriate outfit, composed of scrounged-up thrift items. He’d spent the majority of the day roaming the city and has not only discovered New York’s thrift culture, but also the miracle that is ice cream.

Up in the angel realm, the most common food is rice. It’s versatile and not to mention delicious, so Jihoon figures it makes sense. While he adores rice, it’s astounding how unfairly tasty mortal food is. 

Jihoon fiddles with the waist of his (almost) new jeans. There are liberal rips all up and down the legs, and he feels somewhat uncomfortable showing so much skin. He’s never worn stuff like this, which is worlds away from his preferred ensemble of a sweater and clean blue jeans. Sometimes he’ll switch it up and wear a button-up, or fancy trousers, but he seldom bothers to do so. 

There’s something oddly freeing about the rips, though. He thinks he kind of likes the way he can feel air brush past his lower thigh, and how he can fiddle with the tattered edges of the rips. Looking back at the mirror, he scrunches up his nose and tries to convince himself exposing his legs is hot and not at all sinful.

“It’s just skin,” he tells his mirrored self placatingly. “It’s not like I’m naked, either.” He pauses, fingers the rips wonderingly, then adds desperately, “But why does it feel like I am?”

It’s better for his upper body, which is at least shielded by a battered denim jacket. It’s also got some rips around the back and shoulder, but Jihoon’s grateful for the coverage. Underneath he’s wearing a simple black and white striped t-shirt, which he’s considering adding to his otherworldly closet. 

It’s not an offensive outfit, Jihoon thinks, then shrugs. If he thinks any longer, he’s going to be late. Not that they’d set an official time, exactly, but he wants to maximize the time he has with Soonyoung. Obviously for his research project.

He manages to navigate back to Entropy (that’s what Soonyoung had called it, right?) before the clock strikes nine, which he considers a win. Stepping back in feels like being thrown underwater. He’s immediately lost, gets pushed into another clubgoer, feels like he’s drowning in a sea of limbs, and then he’s suddenly afloat again when someone grabs his shoulder and guides him away from the dance floor.

“Hi,” Soonyoung says shyly, scratching the back of his neck. “You look, um, good. Really good.”

Jihoon fans air towards his face, but all it does is increase the heat. He abandons the pitiful effort immediately in favor of scanning Soonyoung quickly. “You too,” he tells him, and he really means it.

If Jihoon’s outfit isn’t offensive, Soonyoung’s is outrageous - in a good way. He’s in what appears to be a sheer top tucked into leather pants, and while there’s a blazer resting on his shoulders, it looks like he’ll shed it in a second for the sake of self-ventilation. 

Jihoon unconsciously lowers his gaze and nearly flinches when he sees  _ Soonyoung’s nipples.  _ He’s never even seen anyone’s nipples other than his own. To have Soonyoung’s be the first… well, it’s certainly not disappointing.

“Thanks,” Soonyoung says, and grins. In the hazy atmosphere permeated with languid purple lighting, it looks dangerous. His grin, he means. His lips are glossy and his teeth look sharp and Jihoon forces himself to look up and meet Soonyoung’s eyes.

It’s not much better. His eyes are framed with smudged eyeliner and a hint of orangey eyeshadow, and it seems like he’s wearing gray, red-tinted contacts. It’s frighteningly attractive, Jihoon thinks, overwhelmed. Then his entire body shivers at the thought.

It’s not like he’s never been attracted to anyone, of course. He’s even touched his own dick a few times. It’s just that all of those times, it had been either in private, nestled under a heavy blanket, or it had been a fleeting instinct that he buried immediately. This, though, he doesn’t even want to stifle it. He wants to bathe in Soonyoung’s sex appeal, but his brain reminds him that being so blatant about it - it’s flagrant, even - is wrong.

That’s right. He seizes on the thought: it’s wrong. This is wrong. He can’t be in a club like this, even for research. It’s wrong to show so much skin, wrong to ogle Soonyoung like this. It’s wrong to even be with Soonyoung. Being romantically involved with a mortal is wrong. Even befriending a mortal is frowned upon. He shouldn’t be here.

Then he thinks of Jisoo. Who is unapologetically overjoyed to be in love with a mortal. And he’s even engaged, now. And, despite all the disapproving remarks, despite all the harassment he’s faced and threats of exiling him, Jisoo is happy. 

Jisoo is  _ happy.  _ He’s happy to be in love with Seungcheol, who is more than a mortal. He’s a guy who makes Jisoo happy, and Jihoon suddenly thinks - how can there be anything wrong about that?

“You look sexy,” Jihoon blurts out. Soonyoung blushes bright red, runs a hand through his hair.

And the words come bearing a weight he can’t say feels good, but God, it feels so right to see Soonyoung flustered. It feels so incredibly right to be with Soonyoung, eyes pinned to each other. It feels so, so amazingly right to reach for Soonyoung’s hand and take the lead, pulling him to the dance floor to sway against each other.

Pressed against Soonyoung, stewing in a sweltering room festering with human emotion, Jihoon can’t say he even cares if it’s wrong. 

-

It must’ve been hours, if not days. Soonyoung thinks he could push and pull with Jihoon for eternity.

He’s somewhat lost himself in the crowd, and all he can think of is Jihoon. Jihoon, who had been so adorably bewildered their first meeting, is now dancing with him. Maybe not fully dancing, but it’s close enough. The heat rushing through his veins tells him it’s definitely close enough.

A mantra pulses in his mind, unrelentingly driving him to insanity. He wants kiss Jihoon so, so bad. He wants to lead Jihoon away from the mass of sweaty bodies and cage him against the wall and kiss him into oblivion. And above that all, he wants Jihoon to want him the same way he wants Jihoon.

Want - it’s what’s thrumming under his skin. He wants, wants, wants so much. He’s positively vibrating with want. And he’s sure that some small part of Jihoon wants him too.

He can’t really trust his sensing all that much, especially when he’s all feverish with want and overcome with Jihoon flooding his brain, but what he’s sure isn’t pure delusion says Jihoon wants him too. The demon in him burns with desire, and it’s getting harder and harder to deny the carnal want.

“Jihoon,” he says, and his voice is hoarse but loud enough for Jihoon acknowledge him with a tilt of his head. “Jihoon, I want you so bad.”

Crap. That look in Jihoon’s eyes, the one that’s sparkling, alight with a purity Soonyoung’s never laid eyes on, it douses the desire with guilt. Soonyoung wants him, maybe Jihoon wants him too, but apart from that, Soonyoung has to remember that at the end of the day he’s a demon. And Jihoon’s a mortal. 

His desire, his want - in a way, it’ll contaminate Jihoon, right? If Jihoon comes to regret it, Soonyoung will never forgive himself. He can’t explain it, but if he ever makes Jihoon feel uncomfortable in any way… living with himself might be unbearable.

And then Jihoon speaks up, shatters his doubt, cups his hand to guide the sound to Soonyoung’s ear: “I want you too.”

_ Jihoon wants him.  _ The thought reminds him that Jihoon’s a whole-ass adult and that he’s capable of making decisions for himself. Maybe Jihoon’s more innocent than others he’s encountered in Entropy. Maybe Jihoon’s a mortal who might come to regret getting involved with Soonyoung, a demon. Maybe.

But maybe, if Soonyoung flees, he’ll be forever plagued by the perfect boy who  _ wanted  _ him, too. Maybe he’ll never see Jihoon again and be left wondering if he’d been a mere dream. If that happens, he’ll definitely regret it.

So when Jihoon stares into Soonyoung’s eyes, he shakes away his apprehension. He reaches for Jihoon’s jaw in a daze, curls his fingers to rest on his cheek. Jihoon’s skin is soft, and hot to the touch, but his hand feels at home.

Soonyoung inches closer, and Jihoon inches closer, and in unison they close the distance, the smother of the club forgotten. Their lips meet; Soonyoung feels Jihoon tentatively slip a hand on his waist. It pulls them closer to each other, and while Jihoon is a little awkward and hesitant, the dance of their lips is intoxicating. Soonyoung licks into the kiss boldly, and Jihoon seems to melt a little in Soonyoung’s grasp. 

And it’s the strangest thing - over the constant roar in his head, Soonyoung feels calm. Of all things, in all the possible places, it’s bizarre, really. He’s always throbbing with energy, his mind racing at any moment, but now he’s ascended to some other dimension. It’s peaceful, in a way. In Jihoon’s kiss, he feels comfort that eases his muscles. In Jihoon’s breathy sighs, he finds a lullaby. In Jihoon’s want, he finds contentment.

How could Soonyoung ache with want when he already has it all?

**Inbox (1 unread, 192 read)**

**Soonyoung Kwon** **Subject: baegel **so this friday u me bagel ???? ill attach…

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: how to recover how to recover from death ?? jih...

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: AAAAAAA subject lines are getting progressively...

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: D-1!!!!!! same !!!! hehe its nice to know im not alon...

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: D-2 i cant stop thinking abt it omg im gonna get fir...

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: tuesday tuesday tuesday tuesday tuesday tuesday tue…

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: music taste no i totally get what u mean ,, i feel the sa…

Soonyoung Kwon Subject: JIHOON jihoon omfshdfbsk remember when u said u li…

-

From never having been kissed to obtaining a regular kissing partner, Jihoon’s taken a big step in terms of his romance life.

Regular kissing partner. It feels weird to call Soonyoung that, because he’s definitely more than a pair of lips Jihoon touches every week (though that’s absolutely a bonus). But they still haven’t defined anything outright yet, and Jihoon doesn’t want to assume. He’s afraid to assume, really. He’s never dated anyone in his entire life. What if he’s reading the signs wrong?

In a desperate attempt to confirm his hopes, he consults his trusty textbook, but it provides a bland overview of human romance rituals. He checks them off with growing anticipation before realizing that it is, after all, a pretty lacking source. It hadn’t had anything on kissing, leaving Jihoon sorely unprepared, and Jihoon will never forgive his textbook.

But… they’re doing everything couples do, right? Jihoon recalls the frequent meetups in places both familiar and unusual. They’d attended a concert together, gone out countless times for meals, and even went to a series of adoption fairs to coo at kittens. 

And Jihoon’s certainly holding up on his side of being completely and absolutely whipped. He’s gushed to Jisoo over sizzling strips of pork more times than he can count on one hand. His emails are starting to include a frightening amount of smiley faces. He thinks about Soonyoung, like, every minute of the day.

So maybe that’s unhealthy. But it’s  _ Soonyoung,  _ and Jihoon loves all of those minutes dearly. So who cares if it’s unhealthy? He’s having a good time.

Right. He’s having a good time. The only thing is that as the minutes taper into hours, he starts to worry about their relationship, whatever it is. Could it be that Soonyoung didn’t want a serious relationship with him? Did he even like him that way?

He’s done worrying, though. It’s tiring and though Jihoon’s afraid, he’d rather just know the truth.

“Do you like me?”

Soonyoung splutters. He’s sprawled out on Jihoon’s hotel bed, feet hanging off for the sake of his pristine bedsheets. Jihoon watches him from where he’s perched on the sole armchair in the room.

“Of course I do,” Soonyoung says, as if it’s glaringly obvious. “You… You like me, right?”

Jihoon shifts. “Of course I do,” he parrots back. “Sorry, was I supposed to be able to just assume that?”

“Well, I’d kinda hoped so,” Soonyoung says sheepishly. “We’re seeing each other, aren’t we? Or did I get that wrong?”

It seems absurd, in hindsight. Jihoon smiles at Soonyoung, relaxed now that his worries are assuaged. “No, you didn’t,” he assures the man he’s seeing. “Just to clarify, does that mean we’re dating, or?”

“That would be nice,” Soonyoung says. 

“Can I call you my boyfriend?”

“That would be really nice,” Soonyoung says, more enthused.

Jihoon laughs. Unable to restrain himself, he slides off of the chair and clambers onto the bed to sit by Soonyoung. He helps Soonyoung sit up and then immediately throws himself into his arms, insides warm and bubbly. Soonyoung adapts to Jihoon’s surprise embrace quickly and wraps his arms around Jihoon, hands resting on his back. They sit like that, curled around each other, for a long while.

It’s kind of crazy to think about, dating someone. Belonging wholly to someone and having someone belong wholly to you. To be able to summon someone to your side and not worry about paying them back or owing them a favor, because both parties are more than willing to be with each other at a moment’s notice. 

It’s completely, wildly, utterly new to Jihoon. But despite how it’s a little scary, those uncharted waters, he thinks he’ll enjoy this. After all, he’s got Soonyoung. How could anything go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well i did promise it would be more exciting :>  
thanks for reading <3 updates may be slower from here on bc school has started up in its glorious chaos and i am struggling . see you guys in the next chapter!!  
(comments and kudos always appreciated!!)


	4. (somewhat) disastrous double date

“Looks like Soonyoung’s got himself a lover,” Junhui singsongs when Soonyoung returns to the apartment late at night, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.

Soonyoung doesn’t deny it, merely dumps his coat on the floor and lies down to press his cheek dreamily to the hardwood. “Jun, I’m in love. I think I’m really in love.”

Junhui sits up immediately from where he’s slouched on the sofa. “Really? Wow, I’d have never thought the day would come! Our Soonyoung, all grown up and in  _ love. _ ”

“Hey, I’m only a few days younger than you.”

Junhui dismisses the rebuttal quickly. “Details. It’s just kind of out of the blue, you know. I never would have imagined it.”

“Jun,” Soonyoung says, and he looks the most serious Junhui’s ever seen him, “I’m a changed man. Jihoon showed me the real meaning of life.”

“And what,” Junhui’s saying, amused, “would that be?”

“Love,” Soonyoung tells him. His voice is all sincere and it makes Junhui cringe, but there’s something admirable about the genuity in his tone. “Love is all anyone could ever want; Jihoon makes me want to live forever, as long as I’m by his side.”

“Love makes you a cheesy fool,” Junhui observes dryly. “Also, you’re already immortal.”  _ And he isn’t,  _ he adds in his head.

“You’ll see what I mean when you find someone,” Soonyoung says knowingly. Junhui revises his opinion of Soonyoung’s newfound meaning to life. He can’t stand the patronizing tone.

It’s very un-demon-like, Junhui thinks when they’ve both gone to bed and he’s lying awake staring at the ceiling. It’s very un-demon-like to see Soonyoung floating through the apartment, both metaphorically and literally. He could swear he saw Soonyoung hovering a few centimeters.

He’s got nothing against love, really. It’s just…  _ Soonyoung,  _ of all people, suddenly transcending normal demon things and becoming an enlightened one. There’s something off putting about it. Junhui’s going to find out why.

He decides this at two in the morning and blindly reaches for a pen of some sorts to note it down. He ends up with a scented marker (grape) and he scribbles blearily on his wrist, barely remembering to cap the marker before passing out.

Junhui begins his investigation by questioning the main suspect.

“Soonyoung, when did you meet this guy again?”

“Soonyoung, what was his name? It just slipped my mind.”

“Soonyoung, can you describe him for me? So I can check if he’s as cute as you say?”

And, when Soonyoung finally starts to get wary:

“Soonyoung, can I meet your boyfriend? You’re always talking about him and I’m really curious.”

It seems like he’s going to refuse, but Soonyoung considers it for another half second and brightens. He really is too easily manipulated. What a terrible demon.

“Sure!” he chirps, looking hopeful. “You should bring someone along, too. Ooh, what about that guy you found cute on the third floor…”

And while Junhui has no intentions whatsoever to go on a double date, he ends up getting roped into one, except he’s never even met his date. A blind date, Soonyoung proclaims cheerfully, but Junhui is getting antsy and kind of wishes he’d never tried to dig deeper. This Lee Jihoon guy has no idea what he’s getting into with Soonyoung.

Four days after Junhui’s disastrous attempts to get information out of Soonyoung, he finds himself sliding into a booth after said best friend, smiling half heartedly at the two wedged in on the opposite side. Judging by Soonyoung’s melty head-over-heels gaze, Jihoon is the one on his right and his date on the left. Jihoon is indeed quite cute as Soonyoung had gushed, but his companion is also a looker, for sure. Junhui tries not to stare.

“I’m Hansol,” his blind date says, sticking out his hand for Junhui to shake. Junhui takes it gingerly and reluctantly lets Hansol squeeze his hand firmly.

Hansol must have really strong hands, because Junhui swears he sees stars in that moment. It’s odd, it’s really odd: his vision flashes, and he simply must be hallucinating, because in the moment his date  _ literally  _ blinds him, he sees wings.

Strong, feathery wings, arching out from his back. Junhui tries hard not to gape, but all that’s running through his mind is-  _ angel.  _ It’s obvious in the way Hansol’s face has been apparently sculpted by the gods. Junhui can’t think of the last time he saw someone so damn pretty. It must be the angel genes.

By the way Hansol is eying him coolly, critically, he must be able to tell Junhui’s a demon, too. For Soonyoung’s sake, at least, Junhui forces on a smile that feels like a grimace. Hansol returns the courtesy and manages to not look constipated. They let each other’s hands go and chuckle awkwardly.

Soonyoung nudges his side. “You forgot to introduce yourself, stupid,” he hisses.

“I’m Junhui,” he blurts out, shooting Soonyoung an annoyed look. “Nice to meet you.”

Hansol nods easily. “Likewise.”

Jihoon gives a small wave to Junhui and smiles. He must either have really bad senses or he’s just ignoring them, because Jihoon is also clearly an angel.

“Soonyoung talks about you a lot,” Jihoon says warmly. There isn't even a second of hesitation in his voice. It’s amazing how oblivious he and Soonyoung are of the tension between Junhui and Hansol.

“I'm flattered,” Junhui responds, barely registering his words in the midst of a staring match with Hansol. The other man seems unfazed on the outside but his energy is growing increasingly agitated. It might simply be because of the presence of two demons, or maybe Junhui’s succeeding in getting on his nerves. He hopes it's both.

When he tears his eyes off of Hansol, he’s suddenly aware of the gooey, sickening heart eyes the couple is making at each other, and he turns back to his blind date. Hansol, upon seeing the same thing, unconsciously makes a pained face, and Junhui cringes in sympathy. In spite of the cold, locked eyes from moments before, they’re in union. 

Junhui has to admit Hansol isn’t all that bad.

He’s an angel, sure, and that before anything should put him off, but he really can’t say Hansol’s a bad guy. He chews with his mouth closed and doesn’t interrupt and smiles genially at jokes, even if they’re trash (courtesy of Soonyoung). Junhui’s been on his best behavior, too, but mostly just to compete a little with Hansol.

And, on top of all that, he’s well-spoken and has a cute, broad smile. It’s so unfair.

Soonyoung keeps nudging him and making annoying, suggestive eyes at him. And Jihoon clearly finds this funny, by the happy, smiling eyes and fond chuckles, and makes no move to stop his boyfriend. Junhui sometimes tries to appeal to his angelic side by begging for mercy with his eyes, but to no avail. He sighs.

Because Soonyoung and Jihoon are so ridiculously in love, aside from the mischievous glances and little shoves, Junhui and Hansol are left to converse on their own. It starts out as awkward as you’d expect, but slowly they warm up to conversation with each other out of necessity.

“So what do you do for a living?”

The seemingly innocuous glint in Hansol’s eyes should scare him when he asks, but Junhui answers anyway, albeit warily. “I work in data input for Pandemonium Inc.”

“I’ve never heard of that company,” Hansol says.

“It’s rather small,” he shrugs. “Probably how I got the job in the first place.”

It’s like they’re having a silent standoff while they exchange niceties. It’s unnerving- eerie, even, but Junhui’s having fun. He asks silly questions like what conditioner Hansol uses (nothing, apparently) and what his favorite Netflix Original series is. Because Hansol exposes himself as a music nerd, they discuss music genres and specific songs with genuine vigor. Though their tastes tend to differ, Junhui notes a few artists and songs Hansol recommends down in his phone, as does Hansol. 

While they’re picking on anime characters because Hansol has in fact watched  _ Haikyuu!! _ , Junhui realizes that what was a tense and constrained exchange of thinly veiled barbs has become a comfortable, even playful environment. It really sucks that he likes Hansol’s thoughtful questions and surprisingly funny comments so much. He wonders how an angel could be the complete opposite of uptight.

They’re- chill, for lack of a better word. Hansol likes to use that word, deploys it in his sentences liberally. Yeah, they’re chill. Junhui laughs easily when Hansol makes a disapproving face at Soonyoung’s messy eating habits, even tosses his head back when his entire body shakes with giggles.

Jihoon and Soonyoung look smug about the way their friends have clicked. Hell, it’s annoying to see that self-righteous face on Soonyoung, but he can’t really bring himself to care. All he does is flick his best friend on the arm and then, satisfied, he turns back to Hansol. He’s receiving a similar expression from Jihoon but merely smiles at him. Hansol has this great big smile that’s like a friendly pat on the back. The way his eyes scrunch up when he’s seized with laughter, it makes Junhui laugh too, and together they’re loud and boisterous and it’s, well, it’s fucking amazing.

On their way out from the restaurant, the four group into pairs naturally. Jihoon and Soonyoung are of course together leading the way, hands clasped together and heads definitely in each other’s personal bubbles. Junhui and Hansol fall into place a few steps behind them, not touching but not really avoiding each other, either. 

Hansol’s staying with Jihoon for the night at his hotel, so he and Soonyoung are going to walk them there before heading back to Hell. The walk is probably around ten minutes, according to the trusty Google Maps. Ten minutes is enough for Junhui to decide to ask Hansol for his number.

Jihoon whispers something to Soonyoung, who immediately whips around and informs them that he and Jihoon need to use the bathroom so they’ll go directly to the room instead of loitering around the front like they’d planned to.

“C’mon,” Hansol groans. “Really, dude?”

“Sorry,” Soonyoung squeaks out before turning and following Jihoon. He’s blushing from head to toe and if Junhui took a platonic peek at his pants he might just see someone else is just as excited.

“I’m sorry,” Junhui says to Hansol, echoing Soonyoung’s hasty apology. “He’s stupid.”

Hansol shakes his head. “Not your fault. I’m just wondering if I should get another room so I don’t have to freak out about sleeping in a potentially contaminated bed.”

Junhui laughs like he’s been doing all night. Now, he thinks, is a perfect moment to ask him out on a date with just the two of them. Maybe disguise it as a hangout with two bros, since he’s not sure if Hansol feels the same pull, but get his number either way.

He’s opening his mouth, words on the tip of his tongue, when white flashes in his eyes. Pure, blinding white, framing his vision, making him wince a little. As soon as he registers it, it disappears, but the snowy, ethereal wings linger in his mind still. And, fuck, he hates himself for seeing it, because he shuts his mouth abruptly and swallows hard. Even if he still wants to see Hansol again, he just  _ can’t.  _ He can’t do that to himself or Hansol. A demon and an angel will never be fated together, he knows. Soonyoung and Jihoon- they’re different, maybe, since they don’t even know of each other’s identities, but he just knows that there will consequences, strict ones, for him and Hansol. Maybe complete banishment. Maybe… obliteration.

So he lets the hand clutching his phone drop to his side. He bids Hansol a swift goodbye and deliberately ignores the cloud of confusion that settles on Hansol’s beautiful brow. While he’s sweeping through the streets, exuding a dark purple aura he can’t tell apart from the thick night, he bites down on his bottom lip and curses himself in his head. Curses himself, the Gods, Heaven and Hell itself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is long overdue, im sorry !!  
and also sorry for ending it on that note sdkjfnskj i would like to assure you it gets better but im afraid i cant make empty promises ;)  
thanks for reading<3 see you in the next one!


	5. ramen, extra spicy

“What’s up with you?”

Junhui’s been moping around the apartment all day, and Soonyoung has clearly noticed. He doesn’t really know how to explain. In fact, he’s not really sure why he’s so upset, just that he is. 

“Nothing.”

Soonyoung gives him a concerned once-over that simultaneously makes his blood boil and heart warm. He wants Soonyoung to believe him, damn it, but he makes it so hard when he pouts like that.

They’re standing in the cramped kitchen, Junhui on ramen duty and Soonyoung cutting up some vegetables. Cooking tends to dissolve into disaster when it’s just the two of them, naturally. Junhui always makes the ramen too spicy and Soonyoung always cuts his hand on accident. It’s lucky that demons heal quick enough that the cuts never linger, and it’s lucky that neither of them mind the extra spice. Or maybe both have inured to the overwhelming heat.

“How was your day?” Soonyoung starts, hissing quietly when, as expected, he nicks his finger.

“Unproductive,” Junhui says. “I thought I would get some work done but I got distracted by a fancam of that mortal you like so much.”

“Jihoon?” Soonyoung asks hopefully.

Junhui gives him a look, nose wrinkled and eyebrows furrowed. “No, why would I watch a fancam of him? I meant Taeyong, or Taehyung, or whatever his name is.”

“Taemin?”

“Yeah, him.”

Soonyoung adopts an extremely self-satisfied expression and Junhui scowls.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he tells him. “You haven’t won anything.”

“What did you think of his dancing?” he shoots back.

Junhui huffs out a sigh but thinks back to those two hours of watching fancams instead of getting work done. “It was good,” he admits, smiling sheepishly. “Those mortals have talent, for sure.”

Soonyoung sticks his nose up in the air and grins. “Victory at last,” he cheers. He scurries to fetch his laptop and pulls up a song of Taemin’s, spamming the volume button until it’s at its full capacity. Junhui, despite his self-proclaimed aversion to mortal idols, jams along and mouths the lyrics as he stirs the pot.

They wrap up dinner preparations with Junhui dumping in yet another packet of powdered seasonings and admiring the glowing red hue the noodles take on. Soonyoung takes one look at the concoction and gulps, pouring himself a glass of water.

Soonyoung sweats intensely while he eats the ramen, even swiping his forehead with a sigh at one point. Junhui takes some sadistic delight in his suffering. 

To alleviate the burning in his mouth, Soonyoung attempts to make conversation. “So how’re you and Hansol?”

Junhui chokes on his ramen. “We, uh, didn't quite hit it off.”

“Really?” Somehow, Soonyoung’s scarlet face manages to look interested. “But I thought that date went well. Weren’t you guys laughing your asses off and everything?”

“How would you know? You were occupied with shooting lovey-dovey looks at Jihoon.” 

Soonyoung's eyes widen at his suddenly resentful tone, but lets it slide. “Did you like him?”

“Jihoon? I guess. He seems like a nice guy.” Except for the fact that he's the fated enemy of Soonyoung, maybe.

Soonyoung sighs dreamily. “Isn't he just an angel?”

This time, he actually splutters hot ramen soup all over his front. “You knew?! All this time? And you're still dating him? Are you crazy?”

“What?” Soonyoung’s face is the definition of confused, his brow furrowed and eyes questioning Junhui’s. He may have made a teeny tiny mistake just there. 

“I mean- forget it, I misspoke.”

“No, tell me. What did you mean?”

Junhui doesn't know what to say.  _ Sorry for not telling you sooner, but the boyfriend you're desperately in love with is an angel and you should break up with him.  _

At Junhui’s silence, Soonyoung stands up and his chair skids back with a clatter. They both jump at the noise; Soonyoung looks remorseful.

“Sorry about that, I just- can you please tell me what you meant?”

“I think you know,” Junhui says, and that tells Soonyoung everything.

He rights the fallen chair and rushes toward the door, picking up a coat from the floor and shoving his limbs in the holes haphazardly. “I'll be back.”

Junhui’s left sitting alone at the table, shirt doused in soup and head swimming with chaos.

  
  


Soonyoung asks Jihoon to meet up in a secluded area not far from his hotel. There's an abandoned gas station crawling with leafless vines beside a block of townhouses that look equally lonely. The gas station, conveniently, is crawling with demonic energy, so it was fairly easy for him to warp up to this spot.

It's a little creepy, sure, but it's quiet and empty. Believe it or not, Soonyoung isn't looking to ask his boyfriend if he's an otherworldly being in the middle of a family restaurant.

Jihoon had replied with a concise “Sure.” It’s not unusual for Jihoon to be on the taciturn side, but this particular one word text feels ominous, in a way. Like Soonyoung’s just waiting for something to go terribly wrong. He must be paranoid.

Six minutes later (no, he was not counting), Jihoon appears from behind the corner of a townhouse. An odd place to emerge from, perhaps, but Soonyoung pays it no mind. He’s more focused on, you know, divulging his deepest and darkest secret.

“Hi, babe,” he says, striding forward to close the distance. He reaches for Jihoon’s hand out of habit and leans down to kiss him on the cheek. Jihoon lets him, but he doesn’t respond much. It’s… unnerving, to say the least.

“Why did you ask to meet here, of all places?”

Soonyoung gulps, gaze flicking to the gas station. He can’t help it. Just like how he can’t help himself from blurting out “It’s not what you think!” when Jihoon sucks in a breath of realization.

“It isn’t?” Jihoon’s voice is cold. It’s scary. Soonyoung had never thought ice could burn so fiercely, but here Jihoon is, eyes blazing.

Soonyoung wipes his forehead. “It’s not, I mean, I’m not exactly sure what you’re thinking, but it’s not!”

If he hadn’t fully believed Junhui until now, he surely would at this moment. Jihoon looks upset, the shaky set of his mouth betraying his stable voice. He remembers the classes he took prior to being hired at Pandemonium, remembers a softspoken voice crooning,  _ among the qualities that set apart mortals and immortals is the manifestation of emotions.  _ Remembers  _ when an angel is overwhelmed with emotion, their wings may escape disguise. When a demon is overwhelmed with emotion, their auras glow so brightly it is visible to even the human eye. _

He can’t tell if Jihoon can also see the hot pink haze blurring his vision, but by the way Jihoon gasps, he probably can. And assuming Jihoon’s received the same education angels tend to brag about, he knows what it means.

"You're a demon," Jihoon chokes out, backing away. The way his eyes are filled with fear and confusion, Soonyoung wants to hit himself. Jihoon looks- terrified, out of control. "You're a demon. I didn't want to trust Hansol, but- you're a demon. It all makes sense, now."

"I- I am," he admits. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I don't know how Hansol found out but please, listen to me. I would never-"

Jihoon, he's breathing heavily, and he squirms away from Soonyoung's cautious hands. He plugs his ears with his hands, shakes his head frantically, shouts, "I don't listen to demons! Stay away from me!"

"Jihoon, please, I would never hurt you." He's pleading uselessly to Jihoon, begging to get a word in. "I love you, Jihoon, please, let me explain. I only found out-"

Maybe Jihoon can hear him over the fingers stuffed in his ears, because he shakes his head more vigorously and quickens his pace, eyes brewing with betrayal. "I trusted you," he shouts. "I loved you! But- but you're not who I thought you were- but you deceived me- how could you-"

Jihoon gulps for breath and completely ignores Soonyoung's stammered pleas for understanding. "Don't follow me!" he screams, whipping around and fleeing to from where he came. 

Soonyoung's every cell aches to lunge forward, stop Jihoon from leaving, but he holds himself back. As much as he burns with need for Jihoon back, he doesn't want to hurt Jihoon any more than he already has. 

And still, above his shouts for understanding, there's a little voice telling him that it's all his fault. So maybe he hadn't known Jihoon was an angel until now. That doesn't change anything. He's known all this time of his own identity and never said a thing. He can't blame Jihoon for lashing out.

His pain, his regret, so potent, swirls around him like a thick, crimson hurricane, with himself as the eye of the storm. An emotion he can only describe as pure heartbreak wracks through his body, accompanied by guilt and self-hatred. It's devastating- he lets out a yell, lets himself be devoured by the manifestation of his emotions. And with a final, shrieking current, Soonyoung rises into the air, numbly feels his back arch, and snaps forward, torrent curling around his form and whisking him away with a resounding pop.

The gas station is silent.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello folks it sure has been a hot second  
im sorry for how this chapter ended ;-; it will get better .. eventually ... probably ....  
thanks for reading ! and thank you for your support even though i update every eternity or so :')


	6. soonyoung versus wario

Today makes five.

It's the fifth day since Soonyoung trudged back into the apartment, eyes nearing black and hair wild.

Junhui glances at said man, who’s thrown himself on the sofa for yet another evening of drunk Mario Kart. Perhaps a tame way to overcome heartbreak, but a worrying one nonetheless. Tonight, Junhui will join him so Soonyoung stops complaining about how boring it is on single player. And he'll try to keep Soonyoung’s drinking to a minimum. Emphasis on try.

“I'm going to beat your ass, Wario,” Junhui hears from the living room area, which is essentially just the beat-up sofa, a makeshift coffee table, and the TV. Since Soonyoung’s nightly intoxicated gaming sessions started, the sparse furniture has been embellished by beer cans and, once, a mug filled to the brim with vodka. Junhui’s glad he poured that one down the drain and replaced it with water before Soonyoung got his hands on it.

Junhui shuffles over to the sofa and hands Soonyoung a glass of water. He takes it absently, focused on the screen, jeering at Wario. Soonyoung raises the glass to his lips, takes a sip that barely goes down the right passage, and recoils. “This isn’t beer,” he frowns.

“Nope,” Junhui affirms cheerfully. “Water. Drink it, or I won't play with you.”

Soonyoung grumbles but chugs the glass and sets it down with a rebellious  _ thunk.  _ “Happy?”

He shrugs but sits down beside Soonyoung, picking up a controller and fiddling with the buttons. “I call Yoshi,” Junhui says.

Soonyoung acknowledges him with a mumble. “He's not even that good.”

“But he's cute!”

Four Grands Prix and five beers later, Soonyoung is getting teary-eyed at his third loss.

He’s objectively the superior driver here, but Junhui suspects it’s his emotional turmoil driving and not his brain. His evidence? Well, for one, he’s spent the last race mumbling apologies, first to Toad, then to Jihoon.

It’s upsetting to watch. Soonyoung face-plants into the pillow in his lap and it’s only thirty seconds until he starts sobbing.

It’s first the heaving breaths for air through fabric and then his voice, strangled, nearing unintelligible, pleading for an answer: “Why did Jihoon leave me? What’s- What did I do wrong?” His shoulders shake with anguish, his back curled in. A sharp, almost strident intake of breath. “ _ Answer me _ !”

Junhui sets down his controller and shifts closer to Soonyoung, a tentative hand stroking the curve of his back. He hushes him quietly until Soonyoung’s cries dissolve into muffled wails and the occasional call for Jihoon to come back.

One in the morning finds them still huddled into the couch, Soonyoung now musing over their pseudo-breakup. Junhui thinks his thigh is going numb from Soonyoung being half on his lap for the past half hour, but he can’t bring himself to make his roommate move in this state. His hair is disheveled and his eyes are rimmed - no, encircled - with red. 

“I mean… I would do anything to have him back… but…” He sniffles, swipes at his nose. “But I think it’s better this way, right? If he’d prefer it to be this way… and he’ll be safer, too…”

Because he doesn’t know what to say, which appears to be a recurring theme as of late, Junhui stays silent.

“Fuck,” Soonyoung groans. “What I’d do to have him in my arms…”

The front desk lady looks at him weird today.

To be fair, it’s the wee hours of the night and Jihoon’s heading out with shakily applied eyeliner and a good portion of his thighs bared. But still, not appreciated, so he ignores her timid “Have a good night” and pretends he knows exactly where he’s going.

It’s hard, he’s learned, to find locations when they apparently don’t exist. It must be a side-effect of being a demon establishment, he realizes. Stupid.

Still, he tucks his hands into his pockets and turns corners when he feels like it and crosses the street when there are fewer cars waiting to run him over. It feels like he’s daring fate to trample him, like it could any further. Fate’s already stamped all over his heart, he figures, so he’s got nothing much to lose.

Wandering through the streets, he can’t help but dare fate to screw him over one more time. Fate must hear him somehow, because the next corner he rounds displays the churning neon of Entropy, just as he’d sought.

As he steps in, he’s filled with a sudden apprehension that reminds him of the first time he’d stumbled into the building. He had been completely unfamiliar, then, and completely clueless, too. A single whiff of the place and Jihoon is berating himself for not recognizing the reek of demon all over. 

It's an odor of sorts, the kind of scent that's terribly invasive and seeking purchase in every available nook and cranny. It’s not unpleasant, exactly. In fact, it’s a little tempting. It’s the kind of alluring that taunts you for not daring to chase after it. Jihoon wants to give in to it.

He’s quickly pushed into the throng of clubgoers, most of which he assumes are demons. If he looks carefully, he might catch a purple flash in someone’s eye. Before he knows it, there are people pushing up against him from every direction, a turbulent current that moves vaguely with the music, which is barely discernible over the crash of bodies and mouths.

“Hello, sweetheart,” someone says lowly into his ear. There’s a prickle at his back, and pressure in a lower area, and though he sort of wants to flee, he embraces his bold streak and pushes back.

As he loses himself to his senses, Jihoon lets his eyes fall closed. The darkness is welcoming, warm, and he relishes in this feeling. Something explicitly wrong, without even a trace of justification. Fingers clasp his ass and squeeze lightly; he lets out a quiet groan. There’s nothing gentle about the touches, nothing that even remotely suggests softness, or tenderness. Jihoon could convince himself it’s liberating, in a twisted way.

The stranger breathes on the back of his neck. Jihoon feels like his upper half is isolated from his lower half, which acts solely on impulse. In contrast, his shoulders feel stiff, his neck tense. He’s sure his expression is similar. Even so, he dances - grinds - with the unknown stranger, trying to fully release his qualms. It’s not hard to loosen up when he can practically taste the music and when there’s a pleasant heat building up under his pants. 

The stranger maneuvers them so Jihoon’s facing his chest. Jihoon opens his eyes, slowly drags his gaze up a column of half-undone buttons, exhales when he reaches a pair of glittering eyes. Time seems to slow when the stranger, clothed in darkness and a spark of purple, pulls Jihoon in, pressing their crotches together. Jihoon still looks up, somewhat daring, somewhat fearful, and the stranger looks down, somewhat threatening, somewhat seductive. He’s not quite sure what to make of it; there’s surely no harm in merely dancing with the demon.

Jihoon can just barely make out glossy lips and a proud nose as they get impossibly closer. They’re both breathing heavily, huffing quietly into each other’s skin. The demon leans down, warm fingers tilting Jihoon’s chin up, and he’s about to close the distance, sink into the impending kiss, when he realizes.

The grasp on his jaw is backed by force, the grip on his ass unrelenting. There’s none of the soft, loving embrace Jihoon’s come to find home in. It’s not Soonyoung. The demon is rough and uncontrolled. It’s not Soonyoung.

He ducks away from the demon’s mouth, knees him lightly to push him away. “Sorry,” he whispers, suddenly feeling hot and upset, stomach churning with disgust and regret. He shoves his way through the crowd, but everyone seems to loom over him, and the darkness with them. Unsure of where the entrance is, eyes blurring with a crash of anxiety, Jihoon bumps into a wall and, grateful for the support, clings to it, terrified of the mob of people swept up in dizzying motion. He inches along the wall, his only anchor, and thinks desperately that maybe, just maybe, seeking comfort in a demon club while heartbroken was not his best idea.

Jihoon hits his nose on a corner. Squinting, the dim pink lights reveal to Jihoon the doorway he just bumped into. He doesn’t think what could possibly be through the doorway, only thinks to escape the flood of demons. Someone pushes him; he stumbles into a door and barrels into the next room.

The stench of demon is overwhelming. Jihoon can’t think straight, can only feel the weakness in his knees and two pinpricks of pain at his temples. He staggers forward, winces when he yet again collides with a hard surface. This time, it’s a mirror, and he stares vacantly into the image. He can’t quite recognize himself, though he knows the hollow figure before him is. He looks a disaster, put simply, like he was half way to becoming a demon himself. But the only demon he really knew was Soonyoung, and he was nowhere near the disheveled state Jihoon’s in. Soonyoung was always a little wild, sure, but he was compassionate and strong and bright, not in spite of his chaotic side, but because of it. And Jihoon loved him for those qualities. He loved him for his outbursts of energy and his unusual but witty remarks, and in the swarm of Jihoon’s thoughts he thinks distinctly: he misses Soonyoung, so much.

How Jihoon got from being a diligent, exemplar angel with a pristine record to resembling a soul who’s been through Hell and back, he doesn’t know. Well, he does, sort of: if it weren’t for Soonyoung, he wouldn’t be here. But he doesn’t blame the demon for it, not in the slightest. It was his own stupidity that got him specifically in this state. It was Soonyoung who showed him the vivacity of life and the value of love.

Jihoon lowers his stare, directs it to what appears to be a sink. He breathes heavily, thinks of the horrible, awful mistake he’s made, wonders how he can possibly get himself out of this mess.

As if on cue, a rattling sound fills the cramped room. He turns around, notices stalls, and realizes that he’s in the club’s bathroom. Jihoon’s oddly drawn to the stall that’s rattling. There’s an eerie glow to it, and the prismatic lights pull him forward. His palm meets the stall door, fingers splayed and trembling, and he’s about to summon his courage and push when-

The door swings open, and Jihoon narrowly avoids being hit in the head again. He’s sent backwards to the sinks, and he clutches the counter for dear life as the smoke from the stall clears and a figure emerges from the murk.

The newcomer’s face is unclear until he steps into the bathroom’s dull lighting and suddenly the slope of his cheekbones and nose sends a shiver through Jihoon’s body. He feels faint, and is grateful for the hard tile pressing into his back. 

The figure stops moving, tilts his head in confusion, lips parting. Then, and the sound of it washes Jihoon in a quagmire of emotions ranging from relief to embarrassment, Soonyoung speaks:

“Jihoon? What are you doing here?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the month long wait for a below mediocre chapter ;-;  
i had a lot of trouble with this chapter (we love writers block) and it didnt help that school has been relentless and .. other things on top of that .... november really hasnt been a good month for me so it took a long time to get this out (and i just finished it two minutes ago... and i didnt read it over.... sorry)  
thank you for reading <3 ill be back hopefully sooner with the next chap but i really cant promise anything ;-; ill try to churn them out over winter break and maybe (maybe !!) finish within the next month or two (we're getting close i think!!!)  
see you soon <3


	7. appetizers first

“So what exactly brought you to Entropy?”

They're in Jihoon's hotel room, Jihoon perched on the bed, freshly showered, and Soonyoung sitting in the armchair by the window. They're trying hard to meet each other's eyes, but by the way they keep jumping when they make eye contact, it's not going well.

“I don't know,” Jihoon says, feeling heat itch under his skin. “I don't… I don't really know what I thought I would accomplish.”

Soonyoung studies him. Jihoon looks away, fiddles with the bedspread. “You do know that it's a demon club, right?”

He huffs. “Yeah, I got the idea when I stepped in and realized the place stinks of demon. I mean- no offense, it's just-”

“No, yeah, I get it,” Soonyoung assures him. “It's a strong smell. I wondered why you didn't recognize it the first time you walked in, considering you're an- an angel.”

“I'm not sure,” Jihoon says. He thinks for a moment. “I can't figure out any of it.”

Soonyoung keeps looking at him. Jihoon doesn't know what to do with such a persistent gaze.

“I mean,” he starts, still determinedly avoiding Soonyoung's watchful eyes, “If angels and demons really are polar opposites, what brought me to Entropy in the first place?”

“I like to think fate,” Soonyoung says, amused, but entertaining Jihoon's train of thought, messy as it is.

“Fate? How could fate be wrong? We're not supposed to meet, let alone fall in love.”

When Soonyoung speaks, the traces of humor have disappeared, and Jihoon, taken aback, finally meets his eyes. “Maybe fate isn't wrong,” he suggests. “Who's to say fate shouldn't have brought us together? Fate isn't wrong- only our conceptions of it are.”

The silence that follows feels like the right time for a revelation of sorts, but Jihoon just sits there, barely processing Soonyoung's words. Fate, not wrong in pulling together two  _ fated  _ enemies. How could that possibly be true?

“Look, Jihoon,” Soonyoung tries again. “I mean, what's a demon anyway? What's an angel?”

“A demon is a spirit of chaos who does Hell’s biddi-”

“-That's not what I meant.” Soonyoung sighs, runs a hand through his hair. He looks like he's trying to explain something simple to a five-year old child, and Jihoon is the child. He doesn't like it. “I know you've got the definitions down, but why do we have to be polar opposites when we have so much in common?”

“Could you… elaborate?”

“Well, for starters, we’re both immortal spirits. We have powers of a sort, sensing and all that. And,” he adds, “Above all we like each other, yeah? Isn't that the most important thing?”

“Sure, but there are still so many reasons that being together is a bad idea. I'm an angel, Soonyoung. You're a demon. It's just that simple- we can't.”

Frustrated, Soonyoung lets out a quiet groan. “You're missing my point. That's not a valid reason! Why can't an angel and a demon be together?”

“We’ll be struck down-”

“Struck down my ass!”

It's Jihoon's first time seeing Soonyoung this genuinely worked up. His face is red and his leg is bouncing furiously. He seems to be struggling to contain his frustration, but Jihoon just- doesn't understand. He doesn't get it.

“Have you ever wondered why we'll be struck down for wanting to be happy?”

Jihoon furrows his eyebrows. “Because it'll be dangerous if we're together. Identities have to be hidden. A spirit of chaos and a spirit of purity. It just isn't compatible. Bad things would happen.”

“And how do you know this?”

Jihoon shrugs. “It's intuitive.”

“And it's what you were taught.” Soonyoung adds. “Can't you see? We're fed all this talk about how it's taboo to associate with other species so we never learn to question it! Your friends, the ones who are engaged, they're happy! A mortal and an angel- that's discouraged, too, but look at them. They're happy!”

Jihoon stews in silence. His face twists in confusion, his brain churning with thought, mulling over Soonyoung’s passionate outburst.

“So what if we're together. Then what? We live happily for a day and then disappear forever? Great. Sounds romantic. Let's make out now that all our problems are solved.”

Soonyoung sits back. “I haven't found a concrete solution yet,” he admits. “But if you're willing to search, we can find one. We will.”

“I'll help look,” Jihoon acquiesces. “Because I do love you and I do want to be with you… I just don't think we'll find any. And I don't think anything good can come from this. I shouldn't have assumed all demons were the same, and I definitely shouldn't have refused to listen to you, and I'm sorry for that. But I hope you can be patient with me, because we'll probably encounter more of these misconceptions in the future.”

“Jihoon…” Soonyoung's eyes look watery. “Considering a future is all I'm asking for.”

Tension relieved, Soonyoung twitches as if he's about to lunge for Jihoon, only to physically withhold himself. Jihoon rolls his eyes, steps off the bed, and seats himself right on Soonyoung's lap, small as the armchair is. Soonyoung makes a teary noise.

“Can I kiss you?”

Jihoon doesn't reply. He just leans forward, cups Soonyoung's cheeks with his hands, and plants a resounding kiss on his lips.

-

“By the power invested in me I now pronounce this meeting commenced.”

Soonyoung lets his hand drop on the table, making the glasses filled tall with ice tremble. The bang startles Hansol into sitting up straight.

“That's… really not how it works, Soon,” Jihoon says, voice exasperated.

He frowns at him. “What do you mean?”

“I… nevermind.” Jihoon pulls his glass closer to him and takes a sip of the cold water. “Shall we begin?”

Across the table, Junhui and Hansol nod. There's a good foot of space between them, he notices, but they manage to make it look less awkward than it is.

Jihoon reaches into his pocket and whips out the yellow legal pad he's carried around since his first ventures in the mortal world. It's gotten increasingly rumpled and creased, but it's his most faithful companion, so he uses it still.

He fishes out a pen from another pocket and slides the notepad into position. Jihoon starts a heading - date, subject, location and all - and looks up, waiting for someone to suggest an idea.

“Well?” he prompts.

Hansol shifts. “I didn't produce much from my research, to be honest.”

“Me neither.”

“Same.”

Jihoon sighs. “Okay, let’s just get all of it out and see what we have, then.”

“Alright, so you could sacrifice your immortality and live in the mortal world as regular humans.”

Junhui, who's currently playing with his straw, coughs. “We're starting with that one?” he asks, bewildered. “Of all the ideas you could've suggested?”

Soonyoung glances at Jihoon. “I can't say that's a perfect idea, but if you're up to it…”

Jihoon sighs again, rubbing his temples. “Can we get an appetizer before we talk about that option?”

An hour and two plates of breadsticks later, there are more doodles on the notepad than ideas.

Jihoon’s tempted to call it a day and get the bill, but he and Soonyoung don’t have much time before some kind of divine intervention occurs. Well, they’re not one hundred percent sure, but they’d rather find a solution than risk it, considering the severity of the punishment for this crime.

Crime. He’d never thought he’d be committing a crime. Being a relatively straight-laced person, prior to Soonyoung he’d always followed the rules. Perhaps he bent them a little every now and then, as one does, but he’s never even fathomed this extent of bending.

He shivers a little in his seat. There’s a reason why he’s never dared to step out of line, and now that he has… it’s a little terrifying, the thought of vanishing from existence, losing all he’s gained in the past month or so. Losing Soonyoung, and his friends, angel and demon alike.

Anyway. It's safe to say they're both a little bit desperate for a solution that leaves them in one piece.

“Here's what we've got,” Jihoon announced abruptly, interrupting a passive debate over the right way to eat cereal. He slides the notepad to the center of the table and rotates it so everyone can read. The tired disappointment on all of their faces is palpable in the air when Jihoon sighs.

“It's not all that bad,” Soonyoung tries hopefully, eyebrows lifting in an unconvincing way. “I mean, we knew we were getting into a tough situation to begin with. Having all these choices is pretty luxurious if I say so myself!”

Jihoon looks at him helplessly. Soonyoung's shoulders drop a centimeter when their eyes meet, and the minuscule motion sends pain straight to Jihoon's heart.

He wordlessly reaches for Soonyoung's hand under the table. Junhui and Hansol politely divert their attention.

“You know, right?”

Soonyoung nods. “Don't look like that…” he pleads quietly.

“Like what?”

“Like it's an ending- like we’ll never be the same.”

Jihoon bites his lip, chest feeling heavy. “It is, in a way, right? An ending.” He shakes his head. “It's an ending, but there'll be a beginning following that ending, yeah?”

Soonyoung tentatively nods, a tiny smile spreading into a broad grin. “You're right,” he agrees, standing up. “You're right. To our ending, and to our beginning!” He raises his water glass, which is mostly just the melted ice, in a toast, and Jihoon laughs, loud and unrestrained.

“To not being the same anymore,” he toasts back, amused, obliging Soonyoung’s persistent nudging at his own water glass.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello its been nearly a month since my last update so im sorry for updating with a crappy chapter  
my writing has been getting worse and worse for awhile now and i think it might be because of how long ive been working on this one,, i tend to start fics and abandon them when my creative flow dries up so now that ive committed to this one you can definitely tell that i am Out Of Writing Juice  
on the brighter side, we're nearly at the end! im thinking one more full chapter to kinda wrap things up and then perhaps a baby epilogue ??   
its a bit premature but thank you for sticking w me through this long and painful process <3 even if you just read it through, thought about how bad it was and forgot about it, i appreciate the time you spent on my creation (tho i suppose if that were the case you wouldn't see this ????)  
see you all in the next (last?!) chapter~ kudos, comments appreciated as always <3 happy new year!


	8. return

“You’re sure about this, Soonyoung? You can still back out now. Jihoon would understand, I’m sure.”

“I’m sure,” Soonyoung says resolutely, shaking his head. “Somehow, it’s not all that scary when you’re facing the equivalent of death.”

“Don’t say that,” Junhui pleads softly. “You’re my best friend. I know you love Jihoon and I know you know what you’re doing but…”

Soonyoung sighs and looks at his shoes. His sneakers are battered from wearing them everywhere - from Central Park to the depths of Hell - and he wonders if when he wakes up as a mortal they will still be with him. He assumes very little will make the move with him; he hopes the sneakers, at least, can keep him company as he’s reborn.

“Junhui,” he says, voice a little hoarse, “I’ll miss you. I really will, a lot.”

He snickers weakly. “I’ll still see you, stupid.”

The corner of Soonyoung’s mouth quirks up. “I know, it’s just. Nothing’s gonna be the same, from now on. I won’t know what you’re up to for the most part of the day. I won’t even know who you really are. I’ll just know some weird-ass dude named Junhui who eats way too much spicy food than normal.”

“Look, I think we were having a moment and you totally ruined it with that last line.”

Soonyoung laughs finally, though still sounding rather sad. “You’re my best friend, too, Junnie. I love you. Don’t replace me too soon.”

Junhui, eyes glimmering just barely noticeably, sniffles and opens his arms for a hug. “I’m telling Jihoon you love me more.”

“He probably won’t care,” Soonyoung chuckles. “At the end of the day I’m sucking his dick and not yours.”

Junhui’s baby tears dissipate. “Okay, can you stop ruining the moment? I’m trying to have good memories of this conversation.”

“Kwon Soonyoung?”

A demon pokes her head around the corner. “He will see you now. Do you have your paperwork filled out?”

“Ah, yes.” He steps away from Junhui and offers her the clipboard and pen, turning to meet Junhui’s eyes, as dark and unreadable as ever but somehow ineffably sorrowful.

“Goodbye, Soonyoung,” Junhui says quietly. “I really will miss you.”

“Likewise,” Soonyoung responds. “But don’t miss me too much, okay? You’ve got too much to be happy for! Think of me sometimes when you’re drunk, that’s really all I ask for.”

Junhui smiles. “I’d say the same, but… you know. If you magically retain all your memories, let me know.”

The demon assistant clears her throat.

“Sorry, sorry,” Soonyoung says hurriedly. “Bye, Junnie. See you in the next life.”

And with that he follows the assistant down the hallway, Junhui watching silently until his figure becomes one with the shadows.

-

His wings feel sore when he unfolds them from his back.

Admittedly, they've been cramped in the invisible nook between his shoulder blades for the entirety of his stay in the mortal world. He mentally apologizes to his wings, majestic, powerful things that they are, then realizes that it'll likely be the last journey with them. And he mentally apologizes to them again, for forsaking them.

Jihoon admires the twinkle of stars above his head and the twinkle of electricity below his feet as he pushes off from the edge of his hotel’s roof. The half second of falling sends a thrill through his body, and he grins, the luxury of flight restoring exhilaration in all of his senses. This is something he’ll miss, Jihoon thinks mournfully, savoring the caress of wind. 

When every second feels like his last, he can’t help but take his time watching the clouds churn by, the city flickering. This is something mortal life could never imitate, he muses, the sights dripping in bittersweet.

No, that’s not true; the mortals have constructed creatures out of fantasy, have recreated flight in a form they can harness - they find freedom in their limits. He’ll never have the same wings, same senses again, but he’ll have  _ freedom,  _ and really, what more can he ask for?

As his wings start to feel constricting pressure, he squeezes his eyes shut and forces his way up, heart tensing as he breaks the seal between the two worlds for the last time. He can hear stars flying past his figure, can almost taste the demure vanilla air of the angel realm, and with a final, quiet pop he completes his last journey back home. If he can even still call it that.

He wanders through what was his beloved home, wondering if it had always been so muted in color. There’s nothing lively about the place, its palette of buttery hues no longer peaceful and welcoming. It’s almost cold, he shivers, the way the ground underfoot is completely smooth and solid, a world away from the rough pebbled pavement and springy soils he’s grown to love.

His destination lies past the neat grids of cottage-like buildings, past the lifeless gardens of motionless hedges. It’s past curfew, so the street is empty and only his lone shadow accompanies him as he traipses toward the looming building straight ahead.

It’s known as Headquarters, which isn’t the most creative name but gets the job done. He’s only set foot in it several times: the first, for his initiation ceremony, the second, for his declaration of career path, and finally, most recently for the assignment of his research. Those three times, he’d admired the simple grandeur of the building and its aura of sheer power, but now he’s apprehensive. Surely the Council won’t react well to his decision.

The Council had always regarded angels requesting meetings with a cool aloofness. Perhaps it’s the distant look in their eyes, clouded with ages of knowledge. Perhaps it’s the levitating chairs - thrones, really - that allow them to tower over the already kneeling subjects.

His steps slow as he approaches. Ascending the steps sends a flutter of nervousness throughout his body, causing his hand to twitch, and he grimaces. It can’t be helped, the nerves, but keeping up an appearance of composure may prove more difficult than he’d anticipated.

The doors swing open when they sense his presence before them, and the angel manning the front desk looks up with disinterest.

“Lee Jihoon,” she states, surveying him from head to toe. “You do not have an appointment. Would you like to schedule one?”

He tenses. “I, uh,” he stammers, unsure of what to say. “I believe… I mean, they probably…”

Before he can piece together a coherent sentence, another angel enters the lobby from a door to the side. “The Council has made an exception for Mr. Lee,” the newcomer explains, voice just as floaty and unbothered.

“I see,” the first angel mildly responds. “Then you may enter the chamber.”

He bows curtly to the two and shuffles forward, bewildered. The happenings of Headquarters are not to be questioned, despite their enigmatic nature. Most of it simply doesn’t have an explanation.

His steps echo as he proceeds, the sound reverberating off the marble walls and reminding him once again of how alone he is. The high, arching ceiling makes him feel small. He doesn’t meet the eyes of the Council, choosing to direct his gaze just below instead. They remain silent as he makes his way to the center mark, where he will be expected to kneel.

When his knees fold in a submissive stance and he lowers his head, the Council finally speaks. It’s the angel in the center, whose hands are folded peacefully before them, with a voice of quiet but resounding power.

“You are Lee Jihoon,” she states calmly. 

He doesn’t dare look up.

“You are within the Department of Mortal Research.”

He doesn’t dare acknowledge her.

“You recently departed for the mortal world to conduct research on human emotion for your class assignment.”

He doesn’t dare breathe, even.

Her voice suddenly turns frigid. “You infringed upon the laws of heaven during your stay in the mortal world.”

He stiffens.

“You entered an area of demon origin. You interacted with a demon not for research purposes, but for your own selfish desires. You succumbed to your greed and lust. You developed romantic relations with a demon.”

With each proclamation of his crimes, her voice increases in volume, the last of which thunders in his ears. It’s eerie, the way her face is still placid. 

“You must atone for your sins,” she concludes.

The other angels of the Council murmur in unison, repeating her final statement. The low chorus of “You must atone for your sins” fills Jihoon’s head with discomfort and slight fear.

He can feel the stare of the angels on the top of his head. His neck is starting to get sore.

“Lift your gaze,” the center angel commands.

He complies.

“Explain yourself.”

He had prepared for this. Back on Earth, he’d thought of what to say. How to make the request. What was he going to say? He can’t seem to remember. He thinks back, back down an immeasurable distance, back to a cramped hotel room and a rumpled bedspread, not from his own tossing and turning, but from-

What had it been from, again? Why was his bed messy? Jihoon’s not a messy person. Could he have slipped up, somehow?

_ You entered an area of demon origin. You interacted with a demon not for research purposes, but for your own selfish desires. You succumbed to your greed and lust. You developed romantic relations with a demon. _

Right. He’d talked to a demon. That’s what had happened, right? He’d gone to a club and met a demon as pretty as any angel he’d ever seen, and then… And then he’d kissed him. Or maybe the demon had kissed him. Either way, there had been some kissing going on. A lot of kissing. Some more-than-kissing. 

He had gotten scared. He had felt betrayed. He had felt his heart ripped from his chest. He had wanted to cry and scream and hide forever. He had wanted to go home.

He still wants to go home. Jihoon wants to go home. He’s staring up at the Council in confusion, not sure of what to explain, not sure why exactly he’s here. Jihoon wants to go home.

_ I am home,  _ his brain informs him.  _ There’s nowhere to go. _

And though he knows his brain is right - how could it not? - there’s a stubborn prickle in his chest that protests.  _ This isn’t home. _

Home is a place with Korean barbecue, and there is no Korean barbecue here. Home is a place squeezed into a vinyl booth with a set of familiar faces. Home is a place with soft blankets and ankles hooked around ankles and eyes melting with adoration. 

Home is with a person: a person who hugs like he’s squeezing out all the air in your lungs, a person who laughs like it’s the last joke that will ever be heard. A person who is soft all around until he’s dressed up in leather and sheer black and sex appeal. And still, he’s home. The honey streetlights and strobe lights, and the goodnight kisses and tongues in mouths, and the soft spooning and grinding up on each other - that’s home. Home is an amalgamation of all of these things: the tender and the gentle and the warm, the hard and the sensual and the burning up. 

Jihoon wants to go home. Jihoon wants to go to Soonyoung.

“I will atone for my sins,” he declares, finally meeting the Council’s eyes, his own churning with confidence. “Please rescind my immortality.”

-

“Really, Ji? Do you have any sense of interior design whatsoever?”

“Of course I do. Look at this, um…. ottoman. I have great taste.”

“That’s a pouf.”

“Okay, nevermind. You pick all the furniture.”

Jisoo laughs brightly at Jihoon’s surrender, clapping him on the back lightly. “Don’t worry, Cheollie and I have experience. We’re experts.”

“Mm-hmm,” Seungcheol agrees nervously. “Experts. Yep.”

“Furnishing one small apartment does not make you an expert,” Jihoon says dryly.

Jisoo rolls his eyes. “Well, do you have more experience than us?”

He shrugs. “I dunno, maybe if someone told me what I’ve done in my life I’d have an idea.”

They go quiet.

“Ji, you kn-”

“-I know. You can’t tell me, blah blah. I don’t get it. Why? I mean, amnesia is a bitch, but why can’t you tell me what happened?”

Seungcheol looks very slightly terrified but beats Jisoo to responding. “I don’t really know what exactly happened, but the gist of it is that it was pretty traumatic and we don’t want you to hurt more.”

Frustrated, Jihoon rakes hand through his hair and hits the ottoman - pouf - lightly. “Isn’t that up to me to decide? Isn’t my trauma mine to deal with? How bad could it possibly be?”

Jisoo grimaces. “Jihoon, I don’t think…”

“No, you’re right,” Seungcheol interrupts. “You should be able to decide for yourself. It’s really shitty of us to keep it from you. But the problem is that it’s not ours to tell. I’m sure you’ll come across it someday in the future. Maybe even soon. But for now, we-” he gestures to Jisoo and himself- “Don’t have the right to disclose this to you. I’m sorry that this is the case, but it is, and I hope that someday soon you’ll find the truth, or the truth will come to you.”

Jihoon sighs, long and drawn-out. “That’s fair, I guess. I’m still annoyed. But I trust you guys.”

“We love you too, Jihoon,” Jisoo says, reaching out to hug him. Jihoon brushes him off, but the playful light in his eyes reassures Jisoo that it’s all okay. “For the record, past or not, we have more experience than you in the furnishing department.”

Seungcheol and Jisoo help him settle into his new apartment. A few hours into unloading the newly purchased furniture, Hansol stops by to bring food and a set of fresh hands. Hansol is yet another face that he’s come to recognize as one of his trusted friends. He can’t pinpoint it, but he senses that Hansol has been very good to him before. So he’s grateful for him, whether he remembers why or not.

“Jeonghan sends his love,” Hansol tells Jisoo over fried rice and noodles. They’ve set up an impromptu picnic on the floor of the apartment since the table isn’t assembled yet.

“Who’s Jeonghan?” Jihoon asks passively, slightly curious. He finds that sometimes his friends mention names that feel familiar but not quite, and he wonders how so many people got involved in the trauma they’re not allowed to speak of.

Jisoo seems to have a noodle stuck in his throat. There’s a surprised expression on his face, and Seungcheol reaches for his hand silently.

“Who’s Jeonghan?” Jihoon asks again, their reactions fueling his curiosity.

Hansol takes it upon himself to answer. “He was Jisoo’s close friend. And I guess yours too, by extension. But he didn’t… well, actually, that’s really not for me to say.”

“It’s okay,” Jisoo murmurs. He clears his throat, squeezes Seungcheol’s hand. “He didn’t really approve of Seungcheol and me, let’s just say. So things kind of broke down. Sorry, I don’t really like talking about it.”

“I’m sorry,” Jihoon says, looking down. “For pressing. And for what happened.”

“Don’t,” Jisoo says softly. “It’s not your fault, anyway.”

“Do you want me to reply to him? I can send a message, I’ll see him tomorrow, probably.” Hansol offers.

Jisoo looks at Seungcheol, a little desperately, like he’s asking for advice. Seungcheol just nods, and it seems like they understand each other. Jihoon feels a little lost.

“Just… tell him I miss him.”

Hansol smiles, small but unmistakable. “I’ll pass it along. I’m sure he’ll be glad to hear it.”

-

“I’m hungry,” Junhui whines. Then, as expected, he tacks on hopefully, “Wanna buy me lunch?”

Soonyoung groans. “I swear, it’s like you only hang out with me for the food.”

They’re sprawled out on the floor of Soonyoung’s room. He’d snatched up a room from a handsome guy seeking a roommate not allergic to cats and willing to be best friends. He didn’t even have to look at his name to start texting him and asking if the deal was still on the table.

Mingyu, his roommate, was out, so Junhui and Soonyoung couldn’t leech off of his cooking abilities this time. What a shame.

Junhui rolls over, clings to Soonyoung’s leg. “Please, pretty please, buy me food?” He makes his eyes big and pouts. It’s not cute in the conventional way but it goes to show how desperate Junhui is for food. Soonyoung sighs.

“Get up, let’s go. Get my wallet, it’s on the desk.”

Because Soonyoung is too lazy to decide on a place to go to, Junhui assumes all responsibility for where they’re heading. He claims that they make the best bagels in all of the city. Soonyoung has doubts but doesn’t voice them.

It’s good that it’s only a five-minute walk from the apartment complex because otherwise he might not have bothered getting up. Junhui hums happily as they enter, waves to the man behind the counter.

“Hey, Chan,” Junhui says brightly. “We’ll have two everything bagels, please.”

“Hi Junhui, Soonyoung,” he replies. “Coming right up.”

Soonyoung looks shiftily at Junhui. “Do I know this place?” he whispers.

“Um, you probably stopped by while you were drunk or something,” Junhui supplies. “You’re a friendly drunk. Talk to strangers and give them your number to be best buddies kinda drunk.”

“Oh,” Soonyoung says, satisfied with the answer. “That sounds like me. Hey, we should get drunk tonight!”

Junhui shakes his head vehemently. “No thanks,” he declines immediately. “Don’t wanna.”

“Aw, why not?” Soonyoung pouts, but drops the idea.

Junhui’s watching the cars trudge by outside the shop when he stiffens and taps Soonyoung’s shoulder to let him know he’s going to use the restroom. Slightly confused but not concerned, he shrugs and moves to sit down at a table.

The chime of the door prompts him to look up at the newcomer and the sight makes him freeze.

It's a man with a slightly downturned mouth who’s grumbling under his breath. His hair is messy and strands of it fly around his head, but the sunlight backlighting his form illuminates the hairs like some sort of primitive halo.

He notices Soonyoung’s staring and his expression screws up like he’s trying to remember something elusive. 

“Oh, hi,” Chan says from behind the counter. “Uh, am I interrupting?”

Soonyoung tears his gaze away to Chan. He's holding out two bagels and seems quite bewildered.

The man in the doorway inches forward and Chan acknowledges him with a tentative smile. “Jihoon, right? It's good to see you again. What would you like?”

Jihoon orders four bagels (four!) and all the while Soonyoung is fixed on him, trying to figure out why he seems so familiar. 

As Chan retreats to make the bagels, Jihoon takes a seat at a table and looks determinedly down at his phone. Undeterred, Soonyoung slides over to sit next to him.

“Sorry to bother you,” he says by means of introduction, glancing down at Jihoon’s phone, which is open to his home screen without anything pulled up. “But do I know you?”

“Um,” Jihoon says, then stops. He doesn't seem to know how to respond. “I don't know. You seem… familiar, though.”

“Oh, okay,” Soonyoung says easily, sticking out his hand. “Well, I'm Soonyoung. It’s nice to meet you, maybe again.”

“Jihoon,” he responds. “And, uh, sure. You too.”

Chan walks over with Jihoon’s four bagels in a paper bag and takes a deep breath. “You guys are weird! Why are you acting like you don't know each other! Is this some kind of weird role play kink! Save it for the bedroom!”

The two are left speechless.

“Do you have any idea what he's talking about?” Soonyoung finally asks once Chan storms away. 

“Nope,” Jihoon says, amused.

Soonyoung chuckles. “Cool, me neither. Wanna get coffee with me?”

For someone he's just met, Jihoon is pretty willing to go out. He stands up and doesn't even properly answer, just asks, “Where to?”

“Oh, uh, there's a café just down the block,” Soonyoung suggests, slightly taken aback by Jihoon’s immediate compliance.

“Okay. Let's go.” He stands up and extends his hand out to Soonyoung, his face wonderfully lit up and open with a mixture of curiosity and fascination. It looks like neither of them really know what they're doing, but both are more than willing to trust the other. 

Soonyoung feels warm inside.

“Let's go!” he repeats, taking Jihoon’s hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the!! final!! chapter!!!  
just kidding. i'll have the epilogue up in a few days (mayb tomorrow?) and then that will be the official final chapter for filaos!!!!!!  
this is my first completed chaptered fic (pm ever) and it has been a um ride. it was hard for sure but i have loved every moment with this au :( and i'm relieved that it's over but also rather sad :(  
thank you everyone who has read to here- that's insane !! this work is what, at least 15k i think? i can't believe people have actually read so many words from my brain. thank you thank you thank you for supporting, reading, thinking about my work. i truly appreciate every second you spend on my conglomerate of words.  
finally, i'd like to mention that this is my first time uploading a chap or anything on ao3 from my phone so please forgive any errors >< i will be on my laptop for the epilogue so i'll fix anything wrong then.   
fun facts and my thoughts on the work itself in the notes for the epilogue! i'll see you then <3 thank you again for everything <3


	9. epilogue

Kwon Soonyoung looks very, extremely handsome in a suit.

Jihoon knows this: his boyfriend is handsome with or without a suit (or any clothing, for that matter) but when Soonyoung dons a well-fitted, color-coordinating suit, his attractiveness multiplies tenfold.

To get his point across, maybe Jihoon makes them a little late and adds his own touch to Soonyoung's look. When he steps back to catch his breath, he admires the flush painting his cheeks and the wild strands flying from what once was nicely styled hair. He leans up to press a final kiss to Soonyoung’s cheek.

“Jihoonie, we were so close to leaving on time.” he complains weakly, reaching for his wallet, discarded on the kitchen counter mid-make-out session. 

The offender shrugs. “Couldn't resist, sorry.”

Soonyoung remains a bright shade of red even as they depart by taxi for the venue. Jihoon likes this lovely hue on his boyfriend, which might just explain why he makes it his personal mission to fluster Soonyoung as often as possible.

Upon arriving, they hurry - well, Soonyoung hurries, and Jihoon takes those monstrously large strides to look cool while hurrying - to the reception area and hope that the ceremony hasn't started yet. Thankfully, they seem to be minutes before missing the start, and Jihoon smirks with the satisfaction of getting away with something. Soonyoung pulls at his collar.

While Soonyoung scours the room for a glimpse of Jisoo or Seungcheol, Jihoon heads straight for the refreshment table, picking up a tiny plate and piling crackers, cheese, and other miniature goodies.

Shortly after Jihoon relocates Soonyoung and offers him a grape, the string quartet tucked into the corner sets upon the bridal march. The lights dim and the two grooms make their appearance, beaming at each other like nothing could diminish their happiness. 

The ceremony passes in a blur with many memorable moments: Jeonghan gives a speech and bursts into tears, clutching the grooms’ hands for support; Jisoo’s eyes glitter with joy as he surprises Seungcheol with a kiss before he even finishes saying “I do”; Jihoon tears up a bit when the grooms spontaneously embrace each other in a very weepy and very tight hug and Soonyoung squeezes his hand reassuringly.

Perhaps most memorably, Jisoo and Seungcheol toss a simple but beautiful bouquet of daisies into the audience for the sake of tradition. Even though they toss it lightly, to the center, it somehow flies straight to Jihoon on the left side. Soonyoung calls it destiny, maybe magic, and Jihoon laughs in embarrassment as the spotlight pans to him.

Jisoo and Seungcheol look far too pleased and not at all surprised.

“So when's the wedding, Jihoon?” Jisoo calls out loudly, and the room (well, those who know Jihoon) titters.

Jihoon’s taken on a lovely cherry shade and struggles to speak, so Soonyoung interrupts.

“I don't think we're quite there yet,” he laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

The people around them titter again, and it gives Jihoon time to compose himself.

“Well,” he finally vocalizes, still tinted a bit crimson. “Maybe we're closer than we thought.”

The attention returns to the two newlyweds, but Soonyoung focuses on Jihoon. Lowering his voice, he asks, “Do you really mean that?”

He looks up shyly. “If you don't mind… I'd like to marry you, Soonyoung. Someday.”

Soonyoung grins so broadly it seems like his smile will split. “Of course I don't mind. Hell, we could get married right now and I wouldn't hesitate!”

Jihoon giggles softly, relief melting into giddiness. “Let's not take away from their moment, but… me too.”

Soonyoung calls it destiny, maybe magic, and Jihoon calls it simply love. There's no explanation to it: not his memories, not the immediate click between Soonyoung and him. Maybe there is, but in this moment, where his best friends are married and he's soon-to-be, he can't find it in himself to seek the explanation. Maybe all there is is love, the purest and most inherent kind. 

Whatever it is, he's glad to have stumbled upon it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a very short epilogue to wrap things up huhu  
i'd like to voice some of my thought process for the work so if you're not into that go ahead and skip to the very end (or just close the tab ig since you're technically all done)  
you've probably noticed that i deliberately avoided the angel good/demon bad thing. for starters i've never really known anything about angels or demons outside of this good bad thing and idk what the religious take on it is so i decided to go off in my own direction. i thought the concept of chaos was a good counterpart to the angel thing (purity, order..) and it fit with the ksy i had in mind.  
and as for the junsol i originally planned for them to have a much more significant role. it turned out that they didn't quite fit in with the plot i was taking on and i didn't have enough time/motivation to focus on working them in. sorry for leaving them unresolved ;-; but it just didn't work out this time ;-; i'm very sorry  
because it was quite choppy and confusing, if anyone has any questions (for clarification, curiosity, about me, anything) i will certainly answer!!  
thank you obliging me and my meandering thoughts, thank you for supporting a pastime of mine that makes me very happy, and thank you for just simply being here. it's a lovely place to be in because of you guys <3


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